


Leatherneck

by mushi0131



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: F/M, marine corps au, miliary au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-10
Updated: 2018-11-11
Packaged: 2019-01-31 13:50:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 49,931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12683187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mushi0131/pseuds/mushi0131
Summary: Hiatus until further notice. Natsu enlisted to be one of the elite, craving adventure and combat. Turns out being a Marine wasn't all about kicking down doors and firing a rifle. His recruiter never warned him about the green weenie, blue falcons, or working parties. Natsu tried avoiding trouble, but trouble found him. Thanks to his interest in Lucy, he can now add an angry officer to that list. Marine Corps AU





	1. Lance Corporal Dragneel

****

**Hello, and welcome to another story! I've spent quite some time around Marines between the years 2011-early 2018 and figured it was about time to write a military AU. What better day to post a story about Marines than today? It's the Marine's 242nd birthday! (November 10th, 2017)**

**I hope you enjoy what I have in store for you! Keep in mind, this will have some terms you may not recognize or understand. I will try to include something at the end to explain what they are if I happen to use any of those terms. This story might seem fast paced, but that's because there's going to be a lot of time skips throughout. Please keep that in mind while reading.**

**Rated M for foul language, eventual sexual content, and adult situations. I do not own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does. I do not give anyone permission to repost any parts of this story anywhere. Please be respectful.**

* * *

**Chapter One: Lance Corporal Dragneel**

Natsu felt unstoppable.

To be fair, every Boot that just hit the fleet felt unstoppable. He endured thirteen weeks of boot camp, twenty-nine days of MCT, and two months of MOS school. The last one wasn't supposed to take so long, but Natsu's school was backed up, so he had to wait a few weeks before he could start his classes.

That didn't matter to the man once he hit Camp Magnolia, the second largest base the Marine Corps had. He was a Private First Class since he took three years of JROTC in high school, so he was already off to a great start.

It took him about a week to get checked in, getting assigned everything from a barracks room to his CIF gear. He took it all in stride, anxiously awaiting the adventure he would have now that he was done with training.

As an ammo tech, it was no surprise to Natsu when he was put at the ASP - _Ammunition Supply Point_. He was assigned to RSI, which meant he received and issued ammo. Units would come in with their requests, and he would go through and pick out what they needed or collect what they had to turn in.

It was a tough job, but he loved it.

His roommate certainly made the days interesting. Corporal Gray Fullbuster worked alongside him in the ASP, cracking jokes between issues to make the workday go by quicker. Not only were their hometowns less than an hour away from each other, the two Marines found out they had a lot in common.

When they weren't at work, Natsu and Gray were either hanging out with their fellow Marines or playing video games in their room. Despite them getting along, they spent a decent amount of time bickering over silly things, but it was all in good fun. Sometimes it ended with them grappling in the grass until one tapped out, other times it ended when their Sergeant, Erza Scarlet, told them to knock it off.

Natsu grew more confident and stronger after boot camp, but he was still too chicken to tell Erza to lay off. He saw someone else do that once, and she made sure they regretted it. She made that Marine's life a living Hell for a week, all without technically hazing the poor bastard.

It was true what they said. A wise man learned from the mistakes of others.

The first three months in the fleet passed before Natsu knew it. He was promoted to Lance Corporal relatively fast, but he knew his head start definitely helped. He was determined to make the most out of his time in the Marine Corps, even on the days when being a Marine seemed less glamorous than what the recruiters led him to believe.

Today was one of those days. Natsu, along with Gray and Lance Corporal Rogue Cheney, were police calling the outside of the ASP. In other words, they were walking around the field picking up trash and debris.

"This fucking sucks," Natsu mumbled, wondering how long they had been at it. The sun was beating down on them, its rays unforgiving. He would check his watch, but he left it in his room. His watch helped since he wasn't allowed to have his phone while at work due to certain ammunition that was set off by radio waves. He doubted his phone could have an effect on them, but rules were rules, and like a good Marine, he obeyed.

"We're almost done," Gray said, wiping his forehead before putting his cover back on. "Then we can go to chow."

Natsu's stomach rumbled at the mention of food. "Good. I'm starving."

"Where do you wanna eat?" Gray asked, pulling a weed from the ground. Police calling was definitely something the recruiter failed to mention. There were other things he was kept in the dark about, but Natsu was discovering more things to add in the 'cons' list every day. Despite that, he didn't regret enlisting.

Natsu was about to say he didn't care as long as he got food, but he stopped when he remembered something. "Oh! That new Dragon Slayer game came out yesterday. I was gonna get it."

"So, MCX?"

Natsu nodded, images of the food court popping into his head. "Sounds perfect."

After the Marines finished their work, they headed to the parking lot. Rogue went with his friend while Natsu stayed with Gray. He didn't have a vehicle, so he rode with him. Not only was Natsu bad when it came to being inside a vehicle, he didn't want to blow all his money on a car payment. He figured he could give Gray gas money and prolong having to buy a vehicle.

"Did you take your medication?" Gray asked as he climbed into his car.

"Yup!" Natsu usually carried a few pills with him just in case, wanting to be prepared. He suffered from motion sickness, getting queasy just from sitting in a car.

The two Marines drove to the main exchange, located next to the commissary. It was a large department store with extra amenities. Besides having a place to buy firearms in the back, the main exchange had a tailor shop and food court attached to it.

Natsu and Gray went to get their food, each settling for different things. They met up at one of the tables, joining a few of their coworkers who were also on their lunch break.

After scarfing down his food as quickly as he could, Natsu dismissed himself before throwing away his trash. He headed towards the electronics section, finding it easily since it was on the back wall. He admired the large TVs for a moment, vowing that one day he would buy one and put it in his house. He just wasn't sure how long he would have to wait until he could make that happen. 

Living in the barracks had its drawbacks. The main two were the lack of privacy and space. Despite stacking their beds on top of each other to make bunk beds, they still had only so much room to work with. It made the Marines think twice before making any big purchases. It wasn't too bad. Gray had a good TV before Natsu moved in. It was big enough to play video games and watch movies on, but Natsu still craved more.

He ventured over to the video games, finding the correct section before browsing through the titles. A few games he didn't own looked interesting, but he would have to come back another day for those. He was on a mission, and he intended on fulfilling it. However, after a few minutes of searching, he frowned. He couldn't find it, leading him to believe the store didn't have it in stock yet.

"Can I help you find something?" a feminine voice asked, causing Natsu pause.

He turned, green eyes landing on a blonde woman. He looked at her blue shirt, seeing she was wearing the MCX uniform. His eyes flitted to the name tag on her chest, reading the name in his head.  _'Lucy.'_

When Natsu looked at her face again, he smiled. "Actually, yeah. I'm looking for the new Dragon Slayer game. It came out yesterday."

The sales associate, Lucy, nodded as she looked at the shelf. She cocked her head when she stopped over an empty spot, sighing as she shook her head. "Well, we did have some out here."

Natsu felt his shoulders fall, but the woman stood up straight, flashing him a smile. "I can check in the back. Do you mind waiting?"

"I can wait," he said, watching as she turned around and headed in the opposite direction.

Natsu kept himself busy by looking at the other games around him, checking out those ones he was interested in while he waited. He saw Lucy coming towards him a moment later, holding a little blue case. He couldn't help but grin when he saw the cover, recognizing it as the correct game.

"You're in luck. We had two left. Hope you only wanted one though." She held it out, her manicured nails catching his attention. However, he didn't have time to appreciate the fire designs on them, too busy shaking his head after she added, "Here you are, sir."

"Please don't call me sir," Natsu laughed, taking the game from her. "I work for a living."

Many enlisted Marines joked that officers didn't do much for a living, just giving orders while sitting at their comfy desks. It was all in good fun since the officers had their own jokes for enlisted personnel.

Lucy's shoulders shook as she suppressed a laugh, her smile growing as her brown eyes lit up. "You know, I've heard that joke so many times. You'd think I'd be sick of it by now."

Natsu gave her a sheepish smile, hand coming up to cup the back of his neck. Despite spending more time without it, Natsu still missed his scarf when he was in uniform. Feeling his bare neck felt too weird to him. "Sorry."

Lucy shook her head, her smile remaining. "You're fine. Promise."

Natsu looked down at the game in his hand, his brows furrowing when he remembered something. "Why did it matter if I only wanted one?" He didn't know why he bothered asking, his curiosity getting the better of him. 

"Hmm?" Lucy cocked her head as her fingers intertwined in front of her.

Natsu blinked, surprised by how cute the action looked. He cleared his throat, thankful his face wasn't warming up. "You said you hoped I only wanted one, but there were two left?" 

Lucy's hands went to her pants, fingers slipping into her pockets. She shrugged before giving him a smile that made his heart race a little. "Can't sell you the second one."

Natsu found himself leaning in an inch, his curiosity burning. "And why's that?"

She chuckled before taking a step back, her long blonde ponytail shifting from the movement. "Because that one's mine."

Before Natsu could ask her what she thought of the game, Lucy started turning. "Hope you enjoy it. Have a nice day, Lance Corporal."

"Natsu," he said without thinking, seeing the way she cocked an eyebrow in response. 

She nodded once before making her exit. "Natsu," she whispered, more to herself than him. 

Despite her leaving, he couldn't help but smile, wishing she would have stuck around longer. His fingers tightened around the game, his heart beating fast against his chest. He waited another thirty seconds before walking away, heading towards the front to check out.

No matter what he did for the rest of the day, he wouldn't get that woman's smile out of his head.

Though, to be honest, Natsu didn't really mind.

* * *

Natsu denied having a problem. He ignored Gray's teasing, avoided the pile of stuff he didn't need accumulating in the bottom of his foot locker, and told himself he was doing just fine.

He wasn't, but he wouldn't admit that.

Natsu found himself spending more and more time at the MCX, specifically in the electronics section. He always had an excuse up his rolled sleeve, even if some of them weren't as good as others. Today was a good example of that.

He walked right up to Lucy, tapping on her shoulder to get her attention. She spun, her eyes lighting up once they flitted to his face. "Natsu? What are you doing here?"

They were on first name basis now, something Natsu was happy for.

"Need some new headphones," he said smoothly, or so he thought.

Lucy raised a brow before chuckling. "Didn't you just buy headphones three days ago?"

Natsu paled, realizing he had used that excuse too recently. He nodded as he fumbled with his words, cheeks growing hot under her gaze. "Uh, yeah, but I— Uh, I lost 'em." He paused, wondering if she would call him out on the obvious lie. "Oops?"

Lucy laughed before shaking her head, gesturing for him to follow her to the section with the headphones. Considering he spent so much time in the electronics section over the last month, he didn't need a guide anymore. Still, he kept his mouth shut and let her do her job.

Like most of the other times when he came to visit Lucy, they started talking. The topic started out covering whatever item Natsu 'needed' to buy, then ventured to other territories. This time he was listening to Lucy talk about her favorite books and how some of the movie versions didn't do them justice.

"I heard they're making a new game because of that movie," Natsu said, bringing the topic back to electronics.

Lucy nodded, her smile bright enough to make his heart flip in his chest. "I heard that too! I'm going to have to pre-order it as soon as it's available."

Natsu swallowed thickly, his palms feeling clammy as he tried to casually shrug. "Maybe when it comes out, you could come over and we could play it together?"

In Natsu's defense, he thought he flirted well. He didn't have too much experience with it. He had a few girlfriends during high school, but he couldn't say he was a smooth guy. His past relationships consisted of awkward dates and even more awkward sex, if it even got that far. He had no experience afterwards, joining soon after he graduated high school. Since stepping on those yellow footprints, Natsu hadn't been interested in anyone, until he met Lucy.

He thought he nailed it, but he wasn't that fortunate.

Lucy's smile faded, the light in her eyes going with it. "Oh, um..." She grabbed one of her arms, avoiding his gaze. "That's probably not a good idea." She sounded genuinely upset that she rejected his offer, making Natsu's heart drop even further.

He shook his head, holding his hands up in a mock surrender. "Of course, my bad. It's okay. I-I get it." And he did. Over the past month he got to appreciate how beautiful, smart, and friendly Lucy was. She could do a lot better than some lowly Lance Corporal.

Lucy opened her mouth to say something, but then her eyes flashed over to the side, her voice dying in her throat. Natsu peeked behind him, frowning when he saw her manager walking the floor. If he saw Lucy wasn't working, she would get in trouble...  _again_. Natsu wasn't the best influence on her, even if he didn't mean any harm by it.

Natsu grabbed one of the headphones, holding it up. "I wanna buy this."

Lucy's eyes flitted back to his, confusion slowly turning into recognition before she nodded. "Right. Let me ring you up." She sounded professional while her boss walked by, waiting until he was a bit away before sighing. "Thanks. He's been cranky all day."

Natsu didn't have to ask what that was like. He knew how bad the higher ups could be when they were having a bad day, so he figured it was similar for her.

Lucy went to grab the headphones from Natsu's hand, but he pulled it towards himself. "I was serious. I wanna buy them."

Lucy's lips twisted, but she didn't protest. "Okay. Let's go."

He followed her to the back where the registers were. If only he had seen them the first time he went to the electronics section, then he could have spent a few more minutes with Lucy.

Natsu tried to ignore the dull ache in his heart as she rang him up, reminding himself that it wasn't Lucy's fault if she didn't like him back. He didn't try to deny that he had developed a crush for the girl over the month of knowing her. It would have been hard not to. She was amazing.

Still, he understood that just because she was friendly towards him didn't mean she liked him. Admittedly, it would have been great if she did, but life didn't always work out in everyone's favor. At least he could still be a good customer for her, even if that was all he would ever be.

After Natsu paid and Lucy finished the transaction, the receipt popped out. She grabbed it, holding it in her hand for a few seconds before bringing it to the counter.

Natsu raised a brow when Lucy used a pen to jot something down on the back of his receipt before folding it in half, handing it and his change out for him to collect. He wanted to ask what she wrote, but he figure he would find out soon enough.

"Thanks Lucy," he said, pocketing it before grabbing his bag. "See you around?"

"I hope so," she whispered under her breath, but he heard her.

He started turning, heart thrumming when he caught her small smile. Natsu had hoped Lucy would still let him talk to her even after the rejection, so hearing her say that made him happy.

Natsu waited until he walked outside of the MCX before pulling out the receipt, fingers fumbling with the paper until he finally got it open. His breath caught and his heart skipped a beat when he read what she wrote, that hope in his chest tripling until he couldn't help but grin.

_**I'm not ready to hang out yet, but you should text me sometime.** _

Under her words was her number, his eyes trained on the digits until he almost committed them to memory.

He honestly thought when she said no that would be it, but maybe he was getting a second chance. If he had to guess, Lucy just needed to get to know him more before she was ready to hang out with him, which he could respect.

Natsu would show her he was a decent guy. Even if nothing romantic came out of it, he hoped they could at least be friends.

* * *

Natsu never guessed his first year in the Corps would go by so fast. Of course, six of those months was spent training, but it still counted towards his enlistment.

Natsu celebrated with his friends, drinking - _illegally since he was under twenty-one_ \- at one of their buddy's house who was married and lived off base. He thought nothing could top the fun he had that night, but he was proven wrong a week later when Lucy asked him a simple question.

"Do you want to go to the movies with me?"

He was shocked and thrilled at the same time. He didn't realize she felt that comfortable with him already. They had started texting each other almost every day for the past two months. He still visited her at work, but the more they got to know each other, the less he felt the need to make an excuse just to see her.

Gray had laid off the teasing after Lucy gave Natsu her number. The Corporal thought Lucy was just flirting with Natsu to get him to buy more things, but he couldn't come up with a reason she would talk to him outside of work unless she actually wanted to.

Natsu got dressed for his night out, inviting Gray to come with him since Lucy said a few of her friends would be there. It wasn't a date, but that didn't stop Natsu from being excited. It was the first time he would see Lucy outside of her uniform, and he was looking forward to it.

Lucy had seen him outside of his cammies a few times when Natsu showed up after his workday was over. He liked the way her eyes seemed to flit down to his body more often than when he was in his uniform, as if she couldn't look away. He never asked her about it, not wanting to startle her or scare her off.

Natsu and Gray arrived at the theater just as Lucy did. She introduced her friends to them, though Natsu doubted he would remember them all after one night.

"Here's Juvia, Cana, Loke, Mira, and Lisanna." Lucy stepped aside when a taller man walked up, his long black hair easily reaching his lower back. His face and ears were full of piercings, something Natsu was slightly envious of. Being in the military limited the amount of choices he had with his body, but he understood that when he signed up.

"And this is Gajeel."

Natsu raised a hand to wave at Lucy's friends, only to stop halfway when he caught sight of Gajeel's red eyes. They seemed to be glaring at him, making a shiver run down his spine. However, that feeling quickly vanished as soon as Gajeel set one of his large hands on Lucy's shoulder, his red eyes narrowing at Natsu.

A spark of jealousy coursed through Natsu's veins, his mind racing as he tried to calm himself down.  _'Is that her boyfriend? Lucy never mentioned dating anyone.'_  

He couldn't lie to himself. The sight hurt.

He thought things with Lucy were going great. They had been talking a lot and getting closer, so much so that he thought there was an honest chance there might have been something growing between them.

That hope seemed to die when Gajeel squeezed Lucy's shoulder. "Come on. Let's get inside."

Lucy casually shrugged Gajeel's hand off her shoulder as she flashed him a smile. "Right."

Natsu followed the group inside, his hands buried in his pockets as he walked. He would talk to Gray, but the man was currently busy talking to one of Lucy's friends. He couldn't remember which one it was, thinking her name might have started with a 'J', but he wasn't sure.

After seeing Gajeel claim his territory, Natsu thought he wasn't going to get any alone time with Lucy, but he was proven wrong when she held back, waiting until Natsu caught up before walking beside him.

"So, how was work?"

Natsu blinked, confused because he thought she was there with Gajeel. "Uh... Fine, I guess. You?"

"Day off," Lucy said, stepping a little closer to him as they made their way to the line to buy tickets. She ran a hand through her blonde hair, catching his attention.

He finally noticed Lucy's appearance, his focus elsewhere earlier. "Did you do something different with your hair?" he asked, seeing there were more waves in it than usual. Not only that, it was down. He always saw her with it up in a ponytail or bun.

"Not really," Lucy said, her eyes falling down to his chest before returning to his face. "I like your shirt."

Natsu looked down, remembering he was wearing a promo shirt for a video game that released last month. He spent a while in the electronics section with Lucy when it came out, talking about the game play before ultimately buying it.

"Thanks. I like your—" Natsu's voice caught in his throat when he looked down, catching sight of her cleavage. He nearly choked, surprised by the size of her generous chest. In her uniform polo, he never would have guessed she had those 'assets'.

He forced his eyes to trail down, seeing she was wearing a dress. It cut off at her knees, the light blue material flowing freely. He looked at her face again, feeling his cheeks burning as he tried to speak. "You look really... nice."

_'Nice! That was the best you could come up with! Fuck! Why am I so lame?!'_

However, Lucy accepted the compliment, her own cheeks tinting a soft pink as she averted her eyes. "Thank you."

Natsu nodded, feeling a lump growing in his throat. "No prob."

He felt like an awkward teenager again, flustered over a pretty girl. Lucy was more than her looks though, her brain and charm wowing him on more than several occasions. It was one of the reasons she liked her. She didn't skate by on her looks alone, working hard despite the ability to dazzle people with a simple smile.

Natsu eventually got to the front of the line. He offered to pay for Lucy's ticket, but she shook her head, saying she had it. Not wanting to take her choice away, he nodded, paying for himself before stepping aside so she could do the same.

They joined Lucy's friends in the line to the concession stands, Natsu's stomach threatening to growl when he smelled buttered popcorn in the air. His eyes started roaming towards the stands, but stopped when he locked eyes with Gajeel's, the man's glare once again catching Natsu off guard.

He looked down at the ground, wondering what he did to piss that guy off. As far as he knew, he hadn't done anything to him.

"You okay?" Lucy asked, gently touching his bare arm.

Natsu swore fire flooded his veins where her fingers touched, his heart stuttering before it regained its frantic pace. "Yeah," he forced out, hoping he didn't sound like an idiot. "I um, I got a question for you though."

"What is it?" Lucy asked, her hand still on his arm.

He couldn't bring himself to shrug it off, loving her touch despite it making him lose his cool. He tried keeping his voice low as he whispered, afraid someone might overhear him. "What's the deal with Gajeel? He looks like he wants to murder me."

Lucy giggled, her smile reaching her eyes. "He's just like that. Don't worry. He won't hurt you."

With all the training Natsu received, he doubted Gajeel could actually harm him. He might have gotten away with giving Natsu a bruise or two, but Natsu was confident he could stand his ground.

MCMAP - _Marine Corps Martial Arts Program_ \- was taught to every Marine. Natsu was trained in hand-to-hand and close quarters combat techniques. Not only that, he used to have fights for fun with his friends from high school, helping him build a tolerance for pain.

However, he preferred not to fight one of Lucy's friends if it was avoidable. Plus, he didn't know if Gajeel knew any martial arts.

"That's not what I mean," he mumbled, hoping she couldn't hear him. He waited until the line moved again before whispering, "Hey Lucy..."

"Yeah?"

He glanced at her, knowing he was probably about to make a fool out of himself. Still, he had to know. It wasn't just for his sake. He didn't want to make Lucy uncomfortable, so if she had a boyfriend, he needed to know so he could stop trying to flirt with her - _even if his flirting wasn't that great to begin with_.

"Is Gajeel your... your boyfriend?"

Lucy didn't bother to hold back her snort of laughter. She shook her head, hand coming up to cover her nose as her eyes sparkled with amusement. "No way!"

Natsu ignored the way people looked over at Lucy's outburst, his attention on her as she calmed herself down. "He's just a really great friend. Nothing more."

As much as he wanted to feel relief, he didn't. "Then why does he look at me like that?"

She stepped towards him, her body closer to his than it had ever been before. She whispered, voice soft and soothing. "He's just overprotective of me. Actually, of all of us. He just doesn't want to see us get hurt."

"Why would you get hurt?" Natsu asked, frowning when his question made Lucy look away.

"Looks like we're next," she said, nodding towards the counter.

He wanted to ask her why she was avoiding his question, but he let it go. This was his first time hanging out with Lucy, and he wasn't going to ruin it with too many questions.

"Can I buy you something? Soda? Popcorn?"

Lucy looked at him, holding his gaze for a moment before her smile returned. "I'd like that."

After making his purchase, Natsu and Lucy rejoined the group of friends. They showed their tickets to the taker before heading down the dark hallway, finding the correct theater.

Natsu stayed close to Lucy, hoping he would get the chance to sit next to her. He did, squeezed between Lucy and Gray, who was still busy talking to that blue haired woman. Gajeel sat on Lucy's other side, occasionally locking eyes with Natsu, but he didn't let it get to him nearly as bad as he had before.

Gajeel was just being overprotective of Lucy. Why? He had no idea, but as long as Natsu wasn't trying to steal someone else's girl, he was fine with the glares.

When the movie started, everyone settled in. Natsu was glad the movie was a comedy, enjoying the sound of Lucy's laughter. Any tension he might have held earlier faded, the Marine choosing to be happy he was spending time with Lucy. He didn't want to complicate it with questions and doubts.

Lucy clearly wanted to be his friend, and that was good enough for Natsu, even if he secretly wished for more.

Halfway through the movie, Natsu felt something on his hand. He jolted as his eyes went down, seeing Lucy's hand was settled over his. He looked up at her, eyes wide and mouth slightly parted. Before he could ask anything, Lucy whispered, "Is this okay?"

The darkness hid his blush, much to Natsu's delight. He nodded, unable to contain his smile as he looked back at the screen. Lucy's hand was smaller than his, but that little added weight was enough to make his heart pound wildly. He couldn't believe how much he let her affect him, but he knew one thing.

He definitely enjoyed it.

Nothing more came out of the simple touch, but Natsu couldn't complain. He loved the feeling of her hand on his, wishing it would have lasted longer when she finally pulled it away. The movie had ended, so he guessed there was no logical reason for her to keep it there.

Part of him wondered if it was just for convenience since the armrests could only fit one arm at a time, but Natsu was hopeful it meant more. He wasn't going to put her on the spot by asking, not wanting to freak her out by being too clingy. He was having too good of a time, and he wanted to keep that going.

The fluttering feeling in his heart only increased when they all said their goodbyes, Lucy surprising him by walking up and giving him a brief hug. He swore his face would remain red for the rest of his life, Lucy's warmth lingering on his skin.

He could smell the sweet scent from her shampoo, her golden hair tickling him as she pulled away. A toothy grin surfaced on his face, causing Lucy to chuckle before waving goodbye.

Gray tried teasing him on their way back to the barracks, but Natsu didn't give a single fuck. After a great night, nothing was going to bring him down.

In his mind, everything was going great with Lucy.

If only Natsu knew he wasn't going to be the last Marine Lucy saw before she went to sleep that night. He thought impressing her was going to be his hardest challenge, but he would soon realize that was nothing compared to the wrath of an angry officer.

* * *

**So, what'd you think of the first chapter? Hope I put enough foreshadowing in there. :P Natsu's gonna get quite a surprise next chapter. Thank you for reading! This story will be 7 chapters long, and will feature a lot of time skips. Hope you enjoy the ride!**

* * *

**TERMS:**

**Leatherneck- A slang term for a Marine.**

**Boot Camp- 13 weeks of training to become a Marine.**

**MCT- Marine Combat Training. (29 days of extra training for non-infantry. Marines who are going in to infantry will go to ITB (Infantry Training Battalion))**

**MOS- Military Occupational Specialty (Specific job in the Marine Corps, the schools vary in time and location depending on the job they picked/were assigned)**

***Natsu's MOS is Ammunition Technician. Ammo tech for short.**

**BOOT- Barely out of training (Usually used as an insult towards young Marines)**

**CIF- Consolidated Issue Facility (Items include flak, kevlar helmet, gas mask, etc)**

**Barracks- Place for Marines to live. Usually they have 2 per room. Marines living in the barracks have more rules applied to them than to Marines who don't.**

**RSI- Receipt Segregation and Issues (Section that issues and receives ammo at the ASP)**

**ASP- Ammunition Supply Point (Where the ammo is stored, issued, and received on base. All units wanting ammo need to go to the ASP to get it)**

**MCX- Marine Corps Exchange (Most look like gas stations, but some are larger like department stores)**

**Commissary- Grocery store.**

**MCMAP- Marine Corps Martial Arts Program. (Every Marine is taught this in boot camp)**

**Green weenie- A term used when the Marine Corps 'screws over' Marines. This can include things like getting extra Duty, being put on Guard, being put on working parties, denied leave, etc. Pretty much if anything bad happens, it's blamed on the green weenie.**

**Blue Falcon- Also known as Buddy Fucker. This is the person who throws you under the bus. Example: You could be late for work and everyone else will say you were at an appointment, but a Blue Falcon will say they saw you passed out in your barracks room that morning. They're essentially snitches in a way.**

**Leave- Requested time off.**

* * *

**Up next, Chapter Two: Heartfilia**


	2. Heartfilia

****

* * *

 

**Chapter Two: Heartfilia**

The late October air felt great on Natsu's skin. He preferred hotter temperatures, but since his face was burning with a blush, Natsu welcomed the chill. He had been a Marine for one year and two months, but that wasn't why he was flustered.

Next month was the birthday ball, and Natsu had only one girl he wanted to take as his date. However, despite his excitement, he was nervous, fearing Lucy's rejection. He had chickened out every other time he tried asking her out over the past two weeks, but he was confident today was the day.

He didn't have much of an option anyway. Today was the last day to buy tickets, meaning he had to ask her out now or buy a single ticket. Going by himself wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, but if bringing Lucy was an option, he was going to give it a shot.

Considering how close they had gotten since they met, Natsu figured the odds of Lucy saying yes were pretty high. After hanging out at the movies, the two started calling each other almost every night just to talk. Sometimes the conversations lasted a few minutes, but other times they went on for hours. They would talk about everything and nothing, covering what they did in their past to what they wanted out of the future. They grew closer every day, and Natsu hoped that meant she was getting comfortable with him.

Despite Lucy being a little secretive about some aspects of her life, he still felt himself trusting her, loving the connection they were building.

Asking Lucy out wasn't the only thing making Natsu nervous. He had never been to a real military ball before. The ones he went to in high school had been for JROTC, but despite them not being real, he hoped they gave him an edge. He wanted everything to go smoothly, at least when it came to him. The closer they drew to the main event, the more horror stories Natsu heard about Marines who had fucked up while at a ball.

The most common happened from getting drunk and doing something stupid, often ending with that Marine getting NJP'd. NJP stood for Non-Judicial Punishment, but Marines liked to call it a ninja punch. It wasn't a conviction, but it did stay on the Marine's military record and reflected badly on said Marine. Natsu wanted to avoid getting one, so he kept himself away from stupid shit as best he could.

Even if the threat of getting in trouble wasn't there, Natsu was determined not to make a fool of himself. Since he couldn't legally drink, he figured he didn't have much to worry about. As long as he didn't act out, he would be golden.

Or so he thought.

Natsu walked into the MCX, heading towards the electronics section. He knew Lucy worked today, so he didn't have to worry about missing her. He wanted to ask her in person when neither of them were working, but since he waited until the last minute, that option was gone. He had until four to buy the tickets, meaning he had to ask now or never.

Swallowing thickly, Natsu entered Lucy's section, his breath catching when he saw her beautiful golden locks pulled into a high ponytail. Lucy's back was to him while she helped a customer, meaning he couldn't talk to her yet. Natsu stole a glance at the Marine's collar, seeing he was a Staff Sergeant. Since the other Marine hadn't locked eyes with him, Natsu decided to head down a different aisle.

No matter how much Natsu loved the Corps, greeting every single higher ranking Marine got tedious. If he could avoid it, he would.

Natsu found himself in the Playstation section, smiling because it was the place he met Lucy. He wished he could say he was glad the game he wanted wasn't on the shelf that day because otherwise he wouldn't have met Lucy, but knowing him, he would have gone to the electronics section on his own another time, the Marine loving his video games. They were bound to meet eventually, but Natsu was happy it was sooner rather than later.

He decided to keep himself entertained while he waited for Lucy to finish up with the customer. He didn't mean to eavesdrop, but his sharp ears picked up Lucy and the man's voice, even when Natsu tried to focus on reading the information on the back of one of the games.

Lucy chuckled at something the Staff Sergeant said, the sound making Natsu's heart pulse faster. He loved the sound of her laughter, looking forward to the next time he would hear it. However, the pleasant feeling in his chest died when he heard what came next.

"You know what," the Staff Sergeant said. "You have a great laugh."

Natsu could hear the smile in Lucy's voice. "Thank you."

The Staff Sergeant spoke again, taking advantage of Lucy's good mood. "Hey, I know we just met, but I was wondering if you'd be interested in going to my ball. It's coming up in a few weeks, November seventeenth. I'd love to take you as my date if you're free?"

Before he knew it, Natsu's feet were moving. He didn't bother sticking around to hear her answer, not wanting to know. He didn't head in any particular direction, just wanting to leave the electronics section. He ended up in the shoe section, sighing as he made his way down an aisle to clear his head.

He couldn't say his hope to have Lucy as his date was trampled. There were many birthday balls, and his unit's was on the eleventh, so it was possible for her to go to his and that other Marine's. However, the idea of her going with someone else to theirs stung his heart, pain radiating in his chest.

Natsu didn't want to share Lucy. He wanted to be the only one she went with. That led to him mentally berating himself, reminding him that Lucy was free to go wherever she wanted and with whomever she chose. It wasn't his choice, and he didn't want to take away her free will.

Looking down, Natsu saw his rank in the corner of his eye. He sighed again as he brought his thumb up. He was about to swipe over it, but he decided against it, not feeling as prideful as he usually felt when he touched his rank. _'_

 _Lucy can do a lot better than a Lance Corporal,'_  he thought, feeling his stomach twist. To most people, he was still considered a Boot. Lucy deserved someone who could offer her more, but that person wasn't him.

 _'Maybe I can ask Lucy to go with me as a friend?'_  That idea didn't sound bad. They could still hang out, something Natsu had been wanting to do since the last time he saw her outside of work. He could show her a nice time, even if it was strictly platonic.

He smiled, liking the idea of spending time with her, even if there was no romance between them. His heart yearned for more, but he could stay her friend if that was what she wanted.

Natsu turned to head back to the electronics section, taking a step before he almost ran into someone. He muttered an apology before trying to walk around them, only to jolt when he caught sight of those deep brown eyes.

He blinked, taking a step back to realize the person he almost crashed into was the woman he couldn't get out of his head. "Lucy?" he asked, feeling his face flush in embarrassment, feeling clumsy.

"I thought I saw you," Lucy teased, eyes flitting up before meeting his gaze.

Natsu gave her a nervous chuckle, running his hand over his short pink hair. He wished the Marine Corps allowed him to have it longer, but he had to make certain sacrifices to be part of the elite fighting force. One of those was less freedom when it came to his appearance.

"Was it the hair?" he asked with a grin, already knowing the answer.

She nodded, giving him a soft smile. "I'd recognize it anywhere."

"Yeah," he agreed. "It's pretty unique." He had only seen a handful of other people with pink hair, but most of them had been females. He had been called names over the years for the odd color, but he didn't let it get to him too much. He liked his hair, even if it wasn't normal on a guy.

"I like it," Lucy said, her hand grabbing the end of her long ponytail so she could run her fingers through the strands, keeping his gaze. "I wish mine was different. I've been thinking about dying it. What do you think?"

Natsu shook his head. "I think it's perfect how it is." He felt his blush growing hotter against his face, knowing Lucy could see it. Before he could say anything to try to save himself from further embarrassment, Lucy was looping an arm around his, dragging him in the opposite direction.

"Are you busy?" she asked, pretending like it was normal to pull him through the store.

Natsu gulped before shaking his head, but Lucy saw neither action. "Uh, no?" He had an hour before he had to be back at work, and Gray said he would pick him up once he was ready to go.

"Good." She glanced at him over her shoulder, giving him a bright smile. "It's my lunch break and I'm  _starving_! Join me?"

Natsu couldn't nod fast enough. "Yeah."

He allowed her to lead him to the food court, the two of them heading towards the sandwich stop. They ordered their food, Natsu settling with a small sub since he was too nervous to eat a big meal. He almost offered to pay for Lucy, but he let it go since she already had her wallet out.

The two made their way to a table towards the back, Lucy stretching before she picked up her sub. Natsu watched her take a bite before he started on his own, his emotions conflicting within him.

His chest ached from seeing and being near Lucy, his heart beating wildly, as if wanting to reach out towards her. At the same time, his stomach churned, remembering some guy asked Lucy out moments before she found him. Natsu tried ignoring the ill feelings, not wanting to put a damper on Lucy's mood, which seemed happy.

 _'I wonder if that guy asking her out made her that way.'_  Natsu shrugged the question away before it could bring him down, reminding himself that it wasn't his business. Besides, there was always the chance that she turned him down.

Instead of focusing on that Staff Sergeant, Natsu went with a generic question, hoping to ease his troubled mind. "How's your day goin'?"

"Pretty good. Remember that old lady who's always complaining that we don't have a military discount?"

Natsu nodded as he held back a laugh, preparing himself for Lucy's story. They were usually funny, especially the ones involving unruly customers. "I remember."

Lucy took a bite of her food, waiting until she swallowed before telling her story. "Well, she came in again today. She was complaining that the TVs weren't on sale like they were last week and demanded the same low price even though that sale was over. Then, of course, she freaking asked for a discount too."

Lucy shook her head. "I'm just glad the manager got to her before she could start a scene again. You'd think people would understand. Just because we're on base doesn't mean they get a discount. That's more of an out in town kind of thing anyways."

"Even then, it's only like ten percent," Natsu added, causing her to nod. "I'd let something like that go if I were them." He understood saving money, but he couldn't see himself throwing a fit over a few bucks. "I wonder if she's the type of woman who demands the gate guards to salute her just because her husband's an officer."

"I bet you anything she is," Lucy laughed. "They don't care if you're husband's an officer. You didn't earn the salute. He did. I mean, my mo—" She cut herself off, quickly shoving her sandwich at her face.

Natsu was too distracted by Lucy's weird behavior to remember what they were talking about, his mind now focused on not laughing at her bad manners. He liked it, even if he didn't think she meant to do that on purpose. "You okay?"

"Mm-hmm." She grabbed a napkin, dabbing away at the sauce that threatened to stain her flawless face. She looked frazzled, but Natsu couldn't figure out why. He waited until she finished cleaning herself up before asking what they were talking about earlier, the topic slipping his mind.

"I forgot," Lucy answered, shrugging as she took a sip of her drink. She cleared her throat, blinking three times before looking at him. "Anyways, the rest of my day was pretty boring." She closed her mouth, finished talking for the moment. However, before Natsu could say anything, Lucy's head tipped back as she snorted, remembering something. "Oh, some guy asked me to his ball."

Natsu stiffened, not able to stop himself from gulping. He hoped Lucy didn't notice, his muscles tense as he forced out, "Oh yeah?"

She nodded, chewing another bite of her food. Natsu waited with bated breath, but she gave a vague wave, answering once she swallowed. "I said no."

Natsu felt his chest tighten for two reasons.  _'Maybe there's still a chance I can ask her out,'_  was battling with,  _'If she turned down a Staff Sergeant, what chance to do I really have?'_

Natsu wet his chapped lips, hoping his voice wouldn't crack as he asked, "Why'd you say no?"

Lucy raised a brow, setting her sandwich on her tray. "I didn't know him. I tried dating guys I didn't know before. Didn't feel very fulfilling, so I don't bother anymore."

That comment gave Natsu hope. Lucy knew Natsu pretty well.  _'Maybe that means she'll say yes?'_  He didn't want to get carried away, knowing she could still say no. He coughed, clearing his tight throat. "That's uh, kinda funny." Lucy cocked her head, causing him to tense. "About the guy asking you out part."

"Why's that?" she asked, leaning in.

He steeled his nerves, keeping his eyes locked with hers. "I was actually thinkin' of asking you to my ball." Before she could react, he added, "As a friend."

Lucy's lips pressed into a tight line as she hummed. Natsu felt himself sweating under her gaze, wondering if he screwed everything up. Her cheek twitched before she opened her mouth, her pretty pink lips pulling into a small smile. "I will, but only on one condition."

"Name it," he breathed, willing to do whatever she wanted.

A soft blush coated her cheeks as she averted her eyes. "I don't want to go as your friend," she whispered, pausing to bite her bottom lip. He did his best not to look, but his eyes drifted down to her lips, wondering if they were as soft and plump as they looked.

Lucy's voice brought him back to the present, his eyes refocusing on hers. "I want to go as your date."

Natsu swore he didn't hear her correctly. As much as he wanted her to be, there was no way a goddess like Lucy would be interested in a guy like him. "Really?" he asked, an incredulous tone coloring his voice. It wasn't that he didn't believe her. He was just having a hard time wrapping his mind around the idea. He wanted her to say yes to being his date, but honestly, Natsu didn't think she was going to agree.

Lucy nodded, glancing at him once before her eyes went back to the table. Natsu felt his confidence boost, welcoming the feeling of his heart beating faster. "I... I actually wanted to ask that first, but I didn't think you'd wanna be my... my date."

Lucy looked at him, keeping her eyes on his for a long moment before reaching across the table, setting her hand over his. Fire burned through his veins from her touch, his throat going dry as he struggled to find something to say. Luckily for him, Lucy broke the silence lingering between them, her voice like a balm to the ache in his chest.

"I was hoping you'd ask me to your ball." Light danced in her brown eyes as she looked at their connected hands, her fingers brushing against his. "I just didn't think it'd take this long."

Natsu barked out a laugh, cupping the back of his neck with his free hand. He didn't want to move his other one, loving the way Lucy's felt against his own. "Sorry it took me so long," he mumbled, feeling his cheeks burn hot with a blush. If he hadn't been so nervous, he would have asked her sooner.

"You're fine," she assured, rubbing her thumb against his skin. He didn't think he'd enjoy something so simple that much, but he did, craving her soft touches. It was comforting, easing the tension he carried in his shoulders. He was worried Lucy didn't want to be more than friends, but he was happy she sounded open to the idea. He just had to give her time to get to know him before she was ready to take things to the next step.

In their case, the next step was going to the ball together. Natsu could hardly wait for November to arrive, but he would use that time until then to get to know Lucy more. She intrigued him, and he wanted to learn everything there was to know about the weird, interesting woman before him.

"Anyways," Lucy started, breaking him out of his thoughts. "I'd love to go. You can text me the details when you get them?"

Natsu nodded, not bothering to hold back his toothy grin, excitement spreading through his system. "Absolutely!"

* * *

"Are you ready yet?" Gray called from behind the door.

"In a minute!"

Natsu fumbled in the small bathroom, trying to get the clasp on his dress blue jacket. He managed to do it after the third try, thankful he wouldn't have to ask his roommate to get it for him. His green eyes glanced over his appearance in the mirror once, overall satisfied considering the circumstances.

Being new to the Corps meant he didn't have as many awards as other Marines. He only had two medals, but he hadn't done anything spectacular to get them. They were both awarded to him because he joined the Marine Corps during a time of war and served a minimum of thirty days during a designated anti-terrorism operation. If it weren't for those two things that had nothing to do with him in particular, Natsu would have zero medals.

He stepped out of the bathroom, his eyes landing on Gray's pants. His blue trousers had a red stripe running down the side, known as the 'blood stripe'. It was worn by enlisted Marines who were ranked Corporal and up. Since Natsu was a Lance Corporal, his trousers were solid blue.

He was on the right track to picking up, so far not getting into too much trouble. He hadn't even had a negative counseling, which was the lowest form of punishment a Marine could get on the record.

Natsu looked down at his medals again, excited for the day he would have as much as Gray. His roommate had two more medals than Natsu, one being because he deployed to Alvarez and the other for good conduct.

The last medal was also known as the 'good cookie'. As long as a Marine didn't get into serious trouble for three years, they would receive that award. Natsu was determined to get it, as well as others while enlisted. That motivation kept his nose clean and his chin held high.

Natsu raised a brow when he realized Gray wasn't wearing his coat. He looked at the door, seeing it was hanging on the knob. "Aren't you gonna wear that?"

Gray shook his head, picking up the hanger before opening the door. "Nah. This thing sucks to drive in."

"Won't you get in trouble for not havin' it on?" Natsu asked, grabbing his phone and wallet before heading out the door with his fellow Marine.

Gray stepped outside, nodding towards the people around the barracks. "No one cares."

Natsu looked at the other Marines, finding some of them dressed like Corporal Fullbuster. The only exception was the women who kept their dress blue coats on. Natsu nodded as he followed Gray to his vehicle, climbing into the backseat since they discussed travel arrangements prior. Gray wanted his date, Juvia, to sit up front with him. Natsu didn't mind since that meant Lucy would sit next to him, which he was looking forward to.

Taking his medication made the motion from the car more tolerable. He felt a little queasy, but it had more to do with his date with Lucy than the actual ride. He didn't want to make a fool out of himself, knowing he had to impress her tonight or it was less likely she would agree to go out with him again.

He knew he was just adding unnecessary pressure to himself, but he couldn't help it. He wanted Lucy to have a good time with him tonight.

On the way to pick up Juvia, Gray told Natsu what to expect at the ball. The ceremony itself sounded tedious, but after it finished the event sounded fun. "Just don't do anything stupid and you'll be good. Last year we had two Corporals jump into the hotel pool with their uniforms still on."

"Really?" Natsu asked, leaning forward in his seat. He couldn't help but smile, knowing the higher ups would have been pissed about that. As long as he wasn't involved, he found some stories about Marines fucking up funny. "What happened to 'em?"

Gray laughed while shaking his head. Natsu could see the faraway look in his eyes through the mirror, a grin sliding onto Gray's face. "Well, they got busted down to Lance Corporal for starters."

Natsu shivered at the thought, wanting to keep the rank he had. He didn't want to start over at the bottom if he could help it. "Yeah, I'm not gonna do anything like that."

"It's not worth it."

"Have you ever done anything stupid at a ball?" Natsu asked, causing Gray's eyes to flicker to the mirror, meeting his gaze.

"Maybe," he mumbled, his tone sounding like he was debating if he should tell or not. "Alright, yeah. Don't tell anyone, but my first ball I went to I ended up setting a piece of cake in the First Sergeant's chair when he got up. No one else was at the table so I figured it was safe and the guy was being a dick all year. Anyways, he didn't go back to his spot, but his..."

Gray shook his head, sighing. "His wife accidentally sat in his spot. I guess she didn't notice the cake was there and... well, let's just say everyone suffered because they didn't know who did it."

Gray stopped at a red light, turning in his seat so he could face Natsu. He held out a knifehand, eyes narrowing. "And you're gonna keep your mouth shut about it. Right?"

Natsu bit back a laugh as he nodded. He wasn't going to tattle on Gray anyway. He wasn't a Blue Falcon. "Your secret's safe with me." When Gray moved to continue driving, Natsu couldn't resist asking, "So, what was the punishment?"

Gray groaned, his knuckles turning white from gripping the steering wheel too hard. "Well, we had to go to work the next day, which pissed everyone off since it was a Saturday. They still gave us our liberty for Veterans Day, but after that we had to start showing up for work at five in the morning instead of six. That went on for like... two weeks before they gave up tryin' to find out who did it."

"Bet you regretted that?" Natsu asked, earning a nod.

"Oh yeah. I haven't done anything like that since. It's not worth it. Not even a little bit."

Natsu nodded, understanding the importance of staying out of trouble, even if he didn't get caught. The Marine Corps liked to punish everyone, even if only one or two people caused the problems. It was to encourage other Marines to help those people out and keep them on the straight and narrow. In reality, all it did was make everyone hate those few Marines who ruined it for everyone else.

Natsu listened as Gray told him more stories about past balls he had been to. The ride to Juvia's apartment seemed to pass by quickly, but waiting for Gray to bring her down didn't. Natsu kept looking out the window, wondering what was taking so long. He decided to keep himself entertained by texting Lucy, his heart pounding because they were about to go get her.

**Hey, we're about to head that way. You ready?**

It took a minute before she replied, his smile surfacing when he saw her name on his screen. He clicked the message, not noticing the two people approaching the vehicle.

_**Lucy: Almost. I will be when you get here. :) Do you need the address again?** _

Despite her not seeing him, he shook his head.

**Nah, I got it. Can't wait to see you.**

His thumb hovered over the send button, wondering if that sounded too eager. He pushed that thought aside, knowing he'd rather be honest with her. He was excited to see her, and he couldn't wait. He pressed the button, jolting when he heard the car door open.

Gray and Juvia stood at the passenger side door. He helped her in, her blue mermaid dress making it difficult to climb into the car without assistance. Once she was settled, Gray walked around the vehicle to get to his side.

Juvia looked back at Natsu, smiling at the Marine. "Is Natsu ready to see Lucy?"

The talking in third person thing was strange to Natsu, but he was trying to get used to it because Juvia was a nice person. Plus, she was Lucy's friend and Gray liked her. It made sense for him to try to get along with her. "Kinda nervous," he admitted, eyes flitting down to look at his phone when it vibrated.

_**Lucy: Me either. :)** _

He smiled, but his giddiness was interrupted when Juvia said, "Is it because of Lucy's father?"

Natsu's brows furrowed as he looked up. Gray entered the car, oblivious to Natsu's confusion as he started the engine. "No... Should I be nervous about that?" He remembered Lucy said she lived with her parents while she went to college. He didn't think much of it at the time, but now he wondered if her father would hassle him for taking her to the ball. He hadn't met the man, but he didn't think it was necessary to date Lucy.

 _'Don't get ahead of yourself,'_  Natsu reminded him, trying to control the rapid beating of his heart.  _'This is one date. You're not dating her.'_  Despite knowing that, Natsu hoped tonight would change things.

Juvia opened her mouth to say something, but then shook her head. She turned back to face the front, sighing before she whispered, "Lucy must not have told Natsu."

Natsu blinked a few times, wondering why she was talking as if he wasn't in the car. He leaned over, trying to get a glimpse of Juvia's face as he asked, "What do you mean?"

Before she could answer, Gray started reversing the car, causing Natsu's stomach to twist at the sudden movement. He leaned back in his seat, wishing his stomach wasn't sensitive to motion.

"Where's Lucy's house?" Gray asked, ending the earlier conversation. Juvia didn't seem broken up about it, not bothering to address Natsu's question.

Deciding he would find out soon enough, Natsu didn't push Juvia for an answer. He was about to scroll to the text where Lucy sent her address, but Juvia interrupted him by saying she knew the way.

Natsu pressed his lips into a tight line, his shoulders falling as an uneasy feeling spread through his chest. He didn't understand what Juvia meant.  _'What did Lucy not tell me?'_  He didn't expect every single detail about her life, but if it had something to do with him, he figured it was common courtesy to let him know.

Natsu's knee bobbed as his fingers fidgeted with the buttons on his jacket. He hoped he was overreacting. It wouldn't be the first time he had done something like that. Tonight was supposed to be fun, and he didn't want to ruin it with his pesky thoughts and worries.

After a ten minute drive, Gray was pulling to the curb of a large house. Natsu had gotten himself calm, only to freak out once again when he saw the size of Lucy's home. It had to be twice as big as his parent's house, and that wasn't counting how tall it was. He had to ask Juvia if she was sure that was it, to which the woman said, "Of course."

Instead of sending Lucy a text saying they were there, he got out of the car, deciding it would be more romantic if he met her at the door. Natsu padded his way to the house, his heart hammering against his chest as he knocked on the door. He swore all the air left his lungs when it swung open less than a minute later, an older man answering it instead of the blonde goddess who agreed to go to the ball with him.

The man staring back at him was taller than Natsu and a lot scarier. His black eyes stared at the young Marine as he cocked his head. He opened his mouth, but instead of his voice matching his standoffish body language, the man sounded confused. "Can I help you?"

Natsu looked down to the man's uniform, eyes widening when he recognized it. He had only seen them in pictures, but the uniform was the officer's version of the dress blues. He looked at the rank, stomach dropping when he saw just how high the man was. His eyes flitted to his face, finally recognizing him.

Natsu's hand went up to salute him before he could stop himself, his voice strained as he said, "Good evening, sir!" He cringed as soon as he did it, realizing he wasn't wearing his cover, meaning he wasn't supposed to salute him.

"At ease," the officer said, waving him off. He looked down at Natsu's uniform, a blond brow raising when his eyes returned to his face. "Who are you and what are you doing here?"

"Natsu... um, Dragneel," he said, forgetting about the second part of the question. He was too nervous now that he knew who he was speaking to. Not only that, he was still kicking himself for his mistake with the salute, feeling like an idiot.

"Dragneel," the man repeated, lips twisting as a wrinkle formed on his forehead. "Dragneel? Why does that sound familiar?"

"I work at the... the ASP."

The officer's eyes widened as he nodded. "I see. I'm guessing you already know who I am then?"

Natsu nodded, his throat feeling tight and his chest constricting. "I do."

He had no idea why this man was at the address Lucy gave him. He hoped someone made a mistake. Either Juvia brought them to the wrong house or Lucy had moved without telling anyone. Nothing else made sense to the Marine.

The officer looked past Natsu to the car on the road, his brows furrowing before glancing at Natsu again. "What are you doing here, Lance Corporal?"

That was the question Natsu desperately wanted the answer to as well. He shook his head, taking a step back. "I was coming to pick up my date, but I guess I got the wrong house."

"Who's at the door, Jude?" a woman's voice sounded from behind the officer. A second later, she walked up, her blonde hair pulled up and her body adorned in an elegant gown.

However, Natsu wasn't gawking at the woman's beauty. His jaw went slack as he took in the sight, wondering why the woman looked like an older version of Lucy. He knew it was no mere coincidence, shock flooding his body as he started putting things together in his head.

"Well," the officer started, gaining Natsu's attention. "If you've got the wrong house I suggest you get on your way. The ball starts in—"

"He's here for me," an all-too-familiar voice said.

The officer widened the door, revealing none other than Natsu's date to the ball. His eyes fell over Lucy's form, his lips parting as he soaked it in. Her golden locks fell in waves over her shoulders, her body wrapped in a crimson dress that flowed down to the floor. She was dressed just as beautifully as the woman who looked to be her older sister.

_'Or her mother.'_

That last thought allowed Natsu to figure out what was going on. The two people standing in front of him were Lucy's parents. She had failed to mention what they did for a living, and now Natsu knew why. Lucy didn't want him to know who her dad was, even if he could have used the information prior so he didn't look like a fool in front of a Lieutenant Colonel.

Natsu's eyes locked with Lucy's, watching as she bit her bottom lip, waiting for him to say something. As much as Natsu wanted to demand answers from her, the only thing he could say was, "Wow. You look amazing."

Her cheeks tinted red as she smiled, her fingers fiddling with her clutch. "Thank you. You do too."

Natsu didn't get a chance to enjoy the compliment, Lucy's father's voice ruining the moment. "Lucy?" he started, looking back and forth between them. His eyes settled on his daughter as he asked, "What are you doing dressed up?"

Lucy straightened her shoulders as she released her lip. Her voice sounded formal when she addressed the officer. "I've been invited to the ball."

As if it wasn't painfully obvious, the man asked, "By who?" He watched as Lucy's eyes flitted to Natsu, his brows furrowing as he shook his head. "No. I won't allow it."

Natsu's heart fell in an instant. He thought getting rejected by Lucy that one time was bad, but this was far worse. Natsu didn't know why the man said no, wondering if it had to do with the officer being Lucy's father or because of his position in the Marine Corps. Either way, it made Natsu's chest fill with anxiety and embarrassment.

However, Lucy looked fired up from that comment. "But father—"

"No buts," he said, voice staying firm. "I believe I made myself perfectly clear. You are not to date any Marines."

Natsu didn't like how that sentence made him feel better. Her father wasn't rejecting the idea of them going to the ball together because Natsu was a Lance Corporal. It was because Natsu was a Marine in general, which seemed odd considering her father was also a Marine.

Then again, that was probably why he made the rule in the first place. Marines could be immature assholes when they wanted to be.

"That's not fair," Lucy argued, but her father didn't seem to care.

"Life's not fair. You get used to it."

Natsu watched as Lucy bickered with her father, the two of them fighting as if he wasn't there. He started sweating, feeling awkward as he debated what he was supposed to do. There was no way he was going to interrupt their argument, even if he didn't think it was fair for her father to deny their date either.

Finally, Lucy's mother stepped in, placing a hand on her husband's arm. "Jude, why not let her go out tonight? She looks beautiful, and you've been wanting her to go to a ball again for a while."

"Yes, with  _u_ _s_ , as a family," the officer said, glancing over his shoulder at Natsu before shaking his head. "This isn't what I had in mind."

Before anyone could say anything, Lucy's mother smiled. "Remember what you just said. Life isn't fair. I think you should accept her decision. She's old enough to make her own choices."

"But—"

"No buts," the woman repeating his earlier words. "Besides, we'll be there the whole time. You can keep an eye on her."

The man huffed, something Natsu never thought he'd see an officer do. He glared at Natsu, his eyes narrowing. "Fine, but she's riding with us."

Lucy opened her mouth, the fire in her eyes leading Natsu to believe she was going to protest, but she stopped once her mother's hand rested on her shoulder.

"I think that's a fair compromise, don't you?"

Lucy reluctantly nodded, her voice returning to normal. "I guess."

Her mother gave Natsu a warm smile, reminding him of his own mom. "I'm sorry, but it looks like you made the trip out here for nothing."

Natsu shook his head, his back straightening as he addressed Lucy's mother. "That's fine, ma'am. It was no trouble at all." He wished his voice didn't sound raw, but he couldn't help it. He looked at Lucy, giving her a nervous smile. "I'll uh... I'll see you there?"

Lucy's hand gripped her clutch in front of her as she nodded. She looked like she wanted to say something else, but settled with, "Drive safe."

Natsu gave a short bow to her parents before making his escape, that awkward feeling remaining as he walked back to the car. He swore he could feel their eyes trained on him the entire way, sweat beading on the back of his neck in response.

When he got back into the vehicle, Gray turned around. One of his dark brows raised as he chuckled. "What happened? Why didn't Lucy come with you? Did ya scare her off?"

Natsu took a deep breath, almost not believing what just happened. "She's uh... She's riding with her parents."

"Her parents? Why?" Gray asked, cocking his head. The humor in his voice vanished upon seeing Natsu's grim expression.

Natsu looked over at Juvia, seeing the girl's guilt on her face. She knew something like that would happen, but he understood her loyalty to Lucy over the two Marines she recently met. If he was in her shoes, he would have kept his mouth shut too.

Natsu looked back at the house, seeing the three people making their way to the driveway to pile into a large SUV. He blinked before looking back at Gray, feeling a shiver run down his spine. He couldn't help but laugh, finding the situation ridiculous. If he wasn't living it himself, he would call bullshit, but he couldn't deny the facts. "Turns out her... her dad is Lieutenant Colonel Heartfilia..."

Gray's eyes widened as he looked out the window towards the house. "You mean—"

"Yes," Natsu said, cutting him off as he swallowed. "He's our battalion commander."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos to those who guessed Lucy's father was the officer in question. :P I don't think he'd be okay with a random Marine taking his daughter to the ball, especially one that works for him and has a low rank. Well, what'd you think of this chapter? Lucy said yes to the date, and Natsu's pretty nervous. I bet finding out her dad is essentially his boss isn't helping.
> 
> It wasn't exactly clear, but for those wondering, Lieutenant Colonel Heartfilia is the battalion commander of Natsu's unit, that's why him and Gray knew him. They don't know him personally, but they know of him. Wonder what's going to happen at the ball. In case anyone was wondering why Natsu didn't know Lucy's last name, the answer is in the next chapter. :P
> 
> Thank you for all the support! I appreciate every single hit, kudo, and comment! Thank you! Please let me know what you thought of this chapter or what you think might happen next chapter? Has anyone ever gone to a military ball? I've been to a few, some for JROTC in high school and some real ones with the Marine Corps. I hope you like what I have in store for next chapter! Thank you again for reading!
> 
> Up next, Chapter Three: Marine Corps Ball


	3. Marine Corps Ball

****

* * *

 

**Chapter Three: Marine Corps Ball**

Natsu searched for Lucy as soon as they arrived at the convention center. He left Gray and Juvia, glancing through the parking lot before making his way to the front of the large building. He found Lucy standing inside against one of the walls, thankfully not accompanied by her parents.

She looked too stiff, not like the Lucy he knew. Once her eyes landed on him, they lit up, his heart flipping as her lips pulled into a smile.  _There_. That was the woman he knew, so full of life. Eyes that looked like they craved adventure.

As much as he wanted to greet Lucy with an equal smile, to tell her she looked beautiful, something entirely different came out of his mouth. "I thought you said your last name was Ashley?"

Lucy blinked, her cheeks tinting pink as her eyes fell to the side. "Actually, I said my name was Lucy Ashley..." She paused, her teeth playing with her lower lip. "I just left out the Heartfilia part."

Natsu shook his head, failing to comprehend why she deceived him. He thought they knew each other well enough to share last names. Hell, she knew his from day one since it was on his uniform. "Why?"

Lucy sighed, her shoulders dropping in defeat. "I knew you wouldn't want anything to do with me if you knew who my dad was. Or worse, I thought maybe you'd try to use me to advance your career." Her tone suggested she was recalling a past experience, but he didn't ask her about it. She would tell him if she wanted to share the information.

Despite it being strained, her smile was still present. "I like you, Natsu. I didn't want to ruin any chance I had with you before I even got,  _well_ , a chance."

Natsu mulled over that in his mind for a moment, trying to figure out what to say. He had to agree, if he knew she was his battalion commander's daughter when he met her he probably would have stayed clear, but he would have liked to think he would have pursued her anyway. Regardless, they couldn't change the past, but he could influence the present and future.

"I guess I can see where you're coming from," he said, giving her a teasing grin. "But no more secrets like that."

Lucy nodded, holding up her pinkie finger. "I promise."

His grin widened as he took her pinkie with his, giving it a soft shake. "Deal." Now that the matter was taken care of, Natsu looked behind him, spotting Gray and Juvia coming up the steps to the building. "What should we do now?"

Lucy raised a brow before recognition flashed through her brown eyes. "Right, this is your first ball."

"This isn't yours?" Natsu asked, realizing how dumb the question sounded given her background. "How many?"

"Hmm..." She tilted her head back as she thought about it. "One or two every year for about ten years, so maybe twenty?"

Natsu's eyes widened, his jaw dropping at the number. "Damn. Why so many?"

"My father invites me to all the ones he attends. Sometimes I go, sometimes I don't. I haven't been for the past few years."

"Why's that?"

"Too much trouble," she said with a laugh. "Marines who don't have dates tend to flirt with single women, especially after they get a few drinks in them. I got tired of watching my father chase men away from me, so I figured I'd save everyone the trouble and stop going."

Lucy batted her eyes, smiling up at Natsu. "Until you, that is."

Natsu flushed, counting himself lucky Lucy made an exception for him. He hoped that meant she liked him as much as he liked her.

"Why're you guys hanging around the front?" Gray asked, startling Natsu and Lucy.

"Nice to see you again," Lucy said, nodding her head at Gray before smiling at Juvia. "You look so beautiful! I told you that dress would look great on you!"

A faint blush found its way on Juvia's face as she grabbed the skirt of her dress. "Thank you again for shopping with Juvia."

Natsu listened to the two girls talk about dresses, wondering why Juvia kept switching between first and third person. It was odd, but if she preferred to talk like that, who was he to judge?

"Do you two want to meet our friends?" Gray asked, nodding towards the hall leading to the ball. "Some of them should be here by now."

Lucy and Juvia nodded, walking close to their dates as the men led the way. Well, Gray was truly leading them. Natsu had never been there before, but he wanted to appear confident. He didn't bother denying it to himself. He wanted to impress Lucy, even with something as trivial as locating his friends.

Gray led them to a display board that showed who sat at which table. They skimmed through the lists, finding out they would all be sitting at table number thirteen. Lucy smiled, the action gaining Natsu's attention.

"What's up?"

"That table's going to be away from the head table."

Natsu blinked, not understanding why that made her happy. "What about it?"

She whispered, leaning in so only he could hear her. "We'll be away from my parents. I'd rather not have them breathing down our necks."

"Oh, I guess that makes sense." Natsu looked at the chart again, seeing who else would be sitting at their table. He frowned when he saw Erza's name, meaning he couldn't joke around as much as he wanted to. He raised a brow when he saw Staff Sergeant Jellal Fernandes' name next to Erza's, the Marine wondering if something was happening between the two. He heard rumors that they were dating, but nothing was confirmed.

Natsu wondered how big the tables were, thinking eight people at one was a lot. He didn't know if they would all fit comfortably, but he decided to keep his mouth shut, waiting until they went into the room to find out.

Natsu saw Gray peeking into the room, only to pull his head back out. "There's not a lot of people in there yet. They're probably outside."

Natsu furrowed his brows as they walked away from the entrance of the convention center. He thought if people were outside he would have seen them already, but apparently there was a side entrance, a swarm of Marines hanging out by what looked to be a garden area.

Gray led them to the fountain in the center where some familiar faces were located, a few of them turning and smiling when they saw the approaching Marines and their dates.

"'Bout time you showed up!" Corporal Sting Eucliffe said, raising a clear glass to the group. Natsu didn't bother asking what was in it, guessing it was alcohol since the Marine was swaying.

A young woman with light blue hair held him, trying to keep him upright. Natsu assumed it was his date, that guess getting confirmed a second later when Sting introduced her to them.

Rogue and Sergeant Minerva Orland were next to Sting, the latter holding a drink of her own. However, judging by her sharp eyes, she could hold her liquor.

"Is this the girl you won't shut up about?" Sting asked Natsu, causing his date, Yukino, to gasp as she swatted at his arm.

"That was rude."

Sting looked confused as he glanced between Natsu and his date. "What? He's the one who's always goin' on about how awesome she is. Figured this was her?"

Natsu sighed, realizing Sting misunderstood what was considered 'rude' in his earlier statement. He let it slide, knowing it would be more trouble if he dealt with it.

"Yeah, this is Lucy. Lucy, meet everyone."

Lucy gave a soft wave, keeping herself close to Natsu's side. His eyes flitted to her bare arms, seeing goosebumps appearing. His eyes widened, feeling stupid for forgetting it was cold outside. November's chilly air didn't affect him as badly as it did other people.

Natsu frowned, knowing he couldn't offer her his jacket. He was surrounded by higher ups, any one of them capable of scolding him if he stripped out of his uniform. Speaking of stripping, he was glad Gray hadn't tried taking off his jacket or pants yet, the man having the weirdest habit Natsu had ever seen.

He stripped randomly, usually without even noticing it.

Natsu blinked, casting that thought aside as he looked at Lucy again. He didn't know what he could do to make her warmer besides bring her back inside. While he was stuck in his head, Lucy started a conversation with Yukino, voiding that idea for the time being.

"Hey guys!" a familiar voice shouted, catching Natsu's attention. He turned, seeing Corporal Levy McGarden coming towards them. She was an ammo tech that worked in the company office, filling the role of a training NCO. She did more paperwork than anything, a job Natsu was glad he didn't have.

Natsu looked at the guy she was with, expecting to see Jet or Droy, but instead he was met with a white suit and a gruff face, definitely not belonging to either of the Corporals he worked with.

"Gajeel?" Lucy asked when she turned around, smiling at the large man. Juvia was beside her, giving him a wave.

"I didn't know you were coming!"

"It was last minute," Levy said, cupping the back of her neck. Her short hair looked just as sharp as her uniform, everything in pristine condition. The woman was known as a perfectionist, and after spending some time around her, Natsu couldn't help but agree.

"Where'd you two meet?" Lucy asked, scooting closer to Natsu. Her bare arm bumped his sleeve, but she made no efforts to move from her new spot.

Natsu bit back a smile, feeling giddy at the close contact. He tried not to make a big deal out of it, but inside he was celebrating. He was happy no one could read his mind. They would call him a dork if they knew what went on inside his head.

"At the shop. I had to bring my car in since it was making a weird noise."

"A baffle in the muffler was loose. I told her she should let it get worse before trying to fix it 'cause it's not gonna hurt the car, but I guess she really hated that sound."

Levy puffed out her cheeks as she glared up at Gajeel. "It sounded like my car was a lawnmower mixed with a struggling goose! Of course I hated it!"

He snickered before attempted to pat her on her head, but her hands came up, shielding it from his touch. "No! It took me thirty minutes to get my hair to stay down. Don't you dare."

That only made him grin as he tried to poke at the ends of her hair, Levy squealing as she jumped away from him. "Don't make me get an MP to arrest you!"

"I'm not a Marine! They can't arrest me!" Gajeel laughed, shaking his head.

"Actually, they can," Erza said, stepping into the conversation.

Natsu shivered, hoping she wouldn't find anything wrong with his uniform or appearance. She was nice and all, but she could be strict. He didn't want to get scolded in front of his date.

"They can?" Gajeel asked, his teasing grin fading.

A few Marines nodded, but it was Sting who gave an example. "The other day I was in the exchange and this chick got arrested for stealing a Coach purse. Dunno what's up with all the Marine wives wanting those purses. They ain't anything special."

"They're also obsessed with those MK purses," Gray pointed out, only after checking the girls' purses to make sure none of them were carrying any.

A smile found its way on Natsu's face when Lucy spoke beside him, her voice soft but firm. "I like Heart Kreuz's purses the best. They last for years without falling apart."

"You," Erza started, pointing at Lucy, "I like you. You have good taste."

A small blush coated Lucy's cheeks as she gave a nervous laugh, her finger lightly scratching at the side of her head. "Thank you?"

When Erza looked away, Natsu leaned in, whispering directly into Lucy's ear. "It's a compliment. I would take it and run."

Lucy shifted so she was the one whispering in his ear this time. Her lips brushed his skin, causing fire to flow through his veins from the simple action. "I'm guessing she doesn't give compliments out that much?"

Natsu pulled back, hoping his face wasn't as flushed as it felt. He shook his head, worried if he spoke he would sound high-pitched. Lucy nodded before looking at the people around them again, Natsu following after her.

The topics changed a few times, ranging from working at the ASP to what they expected to happen at the ball. Natsu raised a brow when he heard a man's voice yelling after a while, telling all the Marines to gather near him so he could get accountability.

Natsu turned to Lucy, giving her a smile. "I'll be right back."

"I'll be waiting," she said with a wink, making him blush.

He hurried away, hoping she didn't see his flustered expression. He couldn't impress Lucy if he looked embarrassed. Pushing that thought aside for now, Natsu found the spot where every other Marine was gathering, going with Gray and a few others when he was told to gather with his section.

After they called everyone's name, they were instructed to get ready for a picture, the unit wanting photos of their Marines. It took a while to position everyone according to height, shorter Marines in the front. Natsu grumbled when he was placed towards the front, the Marine standing a few inches taller than the average female. Normally it didn't bother him, but when compared to everyone else, he felt his confidence taking a hit.

Still, he didn't let it show. He wasn't going to let something petty like height ruin his night, especially since he had a beautiful woman waiting for him when he finished.

When they were dismissed, Natsu walked towards the place he left Lucy, stopping once he saw his battalion commander walking a few feet ahead. Natsu gulped, remembering once again that Lucy was his daughter. Not only that, the man disapproved of them being together at the ball, even though they were both adults who could make their own choices.

Natsu put that out of his mind as soon as he found Lucy, deciding it wasn't worth getting upset about. She wanted to be at the ball with him, and that was all that mattered. She smiled when their eyes locked, pretty pink lips parting as she spoke.

"What do you want to do now?"

He looked back at the building, then over his shoulders to see some of his friends straggling behind. Deciding he didn't want to wait for them, he nodded ahead. "You okay with getting a picture taken?"

A soft blush graced Lucy's cheeks. He cupped the back of his neck, an anxious feeling rising in his chest as he explained. "If you want, that is. I uh, I may have mentioned you to my mom." He cleared his throat, hoping it would settle his nerves. "She said she wanted pictures. But if you're not cool with it that's fine."

"I'd be honored to take a picture with you." She said it with so much confidence Natsu thought she might be joking, but her soft smile was genuine.

Relief filled his chest when she nodded, watching as she shifted to his left side. She held her arm out, batting her pretty brown eyes at him. "Lead the way."

He held her arm, escorting her into the building. It didn't take them long to find the room where pictures were being taken. They had to pick a package before beginning, Natsu deciding it would be easier to get digital copies so they could print out the pictures in any size they wanted. He paid the money and gave them his email address, the two of them going to the back of the line that trickled outside of the door.

Natsu looked at the people in front of him, nodding as he locked eyes with one of the men. "Happy birthday, Lieutenant!"

"Happy birthday, Marine!"

First Lieutenant Laxus Dreyar slapped Natsu on the back in celebration. He smiled at Lucy before stepping aside. "Have you met my husband?"

Natsu looked at the man beside Laxus, his green hair short and his uniform crisp. He shook Natsu's hand just as Laxus said, "Freed, this is the knucklehead I was tellin' you about. One of 'em anyways."

"Pleased to meet you," Freed said, his tone less boisterous than his husband's."

Natsu's eyes went to the rank on Freed's jacket so he could address him correctly. "You too, Captain." He looked to his side, grinning as he added, "This is my date, Lucy."

Freed chuckled as smiled at Lucy. "Oh, we've met."

Natsu raised his brow, waiting for an explanation that Lucy helpfully supplied.

"It's been a while," Lucy said, her arm tightening to give Natsu a squeeze. "I met Freed at a mandatory have fun. He used to work with my father a few years back."

Natsu shivered at the mention of a mandatory have fun. The company or battalion would make it mandatory to hang out for an afternoon and 'have fun'. Most Marines didn't enjoy it and would rather just get released early that day so they could spend their time how they saw fit, but since they weren't given a choice, they had to participate.

Natsu went to one since he joined, and it had been decent. He hung out with Gray while eating hot dogs and burgers, but he had to help set up before and tear down after, as well as police call the area before he was allowed to leave.

He would have preferred to be released early so he could hang out in his room at the barracks, but when his higher ups said jump, he asked how high.

Freed looked at Lucy's arm, the one Natsu was holding. "I have to say, it's surprising seeing you here with," his gaze lingered on Natsu's rank for a moment, "a date. What did your father say?"

Natsu felt his throat tighten as his stomach twisted, knowing what Freed implied. It was surprising for Lucy to go to the ball with a Lance Corporal. Natsu liked things better when he didn't know who Lucy's father was. It had been a lot simpler then.

"He's not happy, but he can get over it. Like he said earlier, life isn't fair." Lucy kept her voice firm, her eyes flickering with determination.

Laxus barked out a laugh, grinning from ear to ear. "I wish I could've seen the look on his face."

Natsu felt more uncomfortable by the minute, understanding better why Lucy didn't tell him who her father was. She knew it was going to cause tension, and she thought Natsu wouldn't want to put up with it.

He had to admit, he would have thought twice about befriending Lucy if he knew, but in the end, he was glad he got to know her. He enjoyed the time they spent together, whether it was texting or in person. He couldn't bring himself to regret his actions.

Lucy nodded, her jaw tight and her body stiff. She looked uncomfortable, but when she spoke, it was hardly noticeable. "So, tell me how you two met?"

Natsu zoned in and out of Laxus' story, stepping forward every time the line moved up. He almost groaned when they entered the door, his eyes searching the room without another thought. He saw the set up for the pictures and the photographer, his eyes flitting to the people in line.

His stomach flipped when he met a pair of black eyes, Jude Heartfilia glaring his way from across the room. Gulping, Natsu turned to Laxus, trying to ignore the burning feeling he got on the side of his head.

He waited a few minutes before looking around, making sure the officer and his wife had left. It wasn't long after that before Lucy and him were stepping up to get their picture taken, Lucy setting her purse to the side so it wouldn't get in the way.

The photographer instructed them on how to stand, directing Lucy to lightly grip one of Natsu's arms while the other rested on his chest. Natsu's hands were placed on Lucy's hips, her curvaceous body threatening to put a blush on his face. The position they were in was more intimate than they had ever been before, but Lucy didn't complain, so he wouldn't either.

After the pictures were taken, they went back outside, neither of them saying a word about the position they were just in. Instead, they killed time until the ball started. When everyone was told to go find their seats, Natsu and Lucy followed Gray and his date back inside.

The ballroom was larger than Natsu expected, multiple circular tables placed on each side of the room, leaving the center open for the ceremony. Natsu pulled out Lucy's chair, waiting until she was sitting before pushing it in. He took his seat to her right, a little place card with his name resting behind his empty plate.

They didn't have much time to chat after they got seated. Before Natsu knew it, the ceremony was beginning. They had to stand, Natsu getting Lucy's seat again. He worried he was being weird, but he saw the other Marines doing it for their dates, so he breathed a sigh of relief.

The officer's call went by quickly, followed by a prayer from the Chaplin. Everyone remained silent for a moment to honor the fallen, a lone table towards the entrance symbolizing the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. The single table was covered in a black tablecloth, a candle lit while the plate, cup, and utensils were placed upside down.

When that finished, they stayed quiet for the message from the commandant. It was a video projected on a wall, the message short and to the point. They were allowed to sit during that part, watching as their leader spoke of honor, courage, and commitment.

When the video finished, a man marched down the center of the room, stopping a few feet in front of the head table. He turned around, then yelled, "Sound, attention!" A bugle played a short tune in response. "Sound, adjutant's call!" Music played immediately afterwards, following the man's command. Once it finished, the man left the room.

Natsu looked around occasionally, keeping his head straight so he didn't cause a distraction. He enjoyed watching the men and women come out with sabers, marching two at a time before taking their posts. When they were finished, the guest of honor was escorted down the room, Lieutenant Colonel Heartfilia by his side.

Natsu's breath hitched when he saw Lucy's father again. Before today, Natsu had seen the battalion commander only a handful of times despite working at the same unit. Now he couldn't escape the man.

The announcer instructed everyone to stand, so they did. The color guard marched on the floor, presenting arms for the national anthem. Once it finished, they marched off, replaced by the Marines wheeling in the large birthday cake. They marched slow, matching the pace of the song that played. It was the Marines' Hymn, the ceremony not continuing until the music ended.

"Parade, rest!"

The people on the floor went to parade rest while the audience was told to sit. Natsu caught Lucy smiling as he pushed her chair in, causing his heart to pick up its pace. He smothered his smile when he took his seat, looking at the center of the room where a man started reading a birthday message from a past commandant.

The cutting of the cake held Natsu's attention. Pieces were cut with a saber while the announcer spoke. "It is customary at Marine Corps birthday celebrations worldwide to cut a traditional cake in celebration of the birth of our illustrious Corps."

The person who cut the cake placed one of the pieces on a plate with a fork, handing it to the guest of honor, Lieutenant Colonel Warrod Sequen, who recently retired right before Natsu joined the unit. The man used to be their battalion commander.

After he took a bite, the second piece was given to the oldest Marine present. Once he took a bite, he passed the piece of cake to the youngest Marine present, allowing him to take a bite. The two youngest and oldest then stood at parade rest while the next song played out. When it finished, the Marines were called to attention, the men and women handling the cake marching away just as slowly as when they entered.

The Marines with sabers left next, filing out two by two until they were gone. Natsu could feel the tradition in everything they did, each part holding a special meaning. He sat when they were told, Lucy saying a quiet thanks when he got her chair. He was starting to realize why chivalry was dying out, seeing as it was difficult to keep up with her and himself, but the smile on her face made it worth it.

So far the ceremony had been going by quickly, but that all came to an end when their battalion commander replaced the announcer behind the podium, grabbing the microphone to give his remarks.

"Good evening. How's everyone feeling tonight?"

The room erupted in cheers, some Marines yelling, "Rah!" to show their enthusiasm. Natsu wished he could say he was one of those Marines, but the lump in his throat prevented him from getting a word out, so he simply clapped like some of the more reserved people around him, hoping that was enough.

The officer started by thanking everyone who set tonight up, telling everyone to join him in a round of applause for those people. His eyes wandered around the room, as if looking for something, but he never paused too long. Jude thanked a few people by name, mostly higher ups and their spouses. He then gestured towards his wife, thanking her for the years of support she gave him, and how he didn't think he would be where he was today if it wasn't for her.

Natsu thought it was a sweet sentiment, but that light feeling ended as soon as Jude's head snapped his way, eyes piercing as he continued to talk. "The greatest gift my wife has given me is our beautiful daughter, my only child. Lucy is my whole world, and I'll do  _anything_  in my power to protect her. I would lay down my life if it meant she could live on. Whenever I feel a moment of weakness, I think about my family, and that helps me get through it. Family keeps me going, as well as the Corps."

Natsu felt his heart hammering, sweat beading on the back of his neck while his palms grew clammy. He wanted to shrink down so Jude wouldn't look at him, but he wasn't that lucky. The man's gaze was unnerving, causing Natsu's skin to crawl.

He jolted when he felt something touching his hand. Natsu looked over, seeing Lucy offering him a warm smile, her hand grasping his under the table. He swallowed, heart flipping when she gave his hand a squeeze.

Natsu hesitated before squeezing back, seeing light flicker behind her brown eyes. He gave her a short nod, understanding what she meant. She didn't want her father to get in the way of their date. She was choosing to be there with Natsu, and her father couldn't do a thing about it.

_'He could make my life a living hell at work though. Fuck, I hope he isn't that petty.'_

The battalion commander started talking about the guest of honor after that. Apparently, they had served together prior to him taking the position. Jude praised the man's accomplishments over the years, highlighting his success throughout his career. his speech was leading up to the introduction of the guest of honor, his time behind the podium coming to an end.

"Everyone, please give a warm welcome to Lieutenant Colonel Warrod Sequen."

While people clapped, Jude looked at Natsu once more from across the room, eyeing him for a few seconds before turning to the guest of honor. They shook hands before Jude walked to the head table, taking a seat beside his wife.

Warrod Sequen's remarks were far longer than Jude's. Natsu swore he spoke about every year he was in the military, starting from the day he stood on those yellow footprints, all the way until his retirement party. The lively atmosphere in the room seemed to drain as the minutes ticked by, the man telling odd jokes, only to say, "Just kidding!" a moment later. By the time he finished his remarks, Natsu was starving, ready to eat the red and golden napkins if he didn't get some real food soon.

Still, he showed the man respect, clapping loud when his speech ended. The announcer reclaimed his spot behind the podium, reading off a poem one of the Marines in their unit wrote. When he finished, he said, "At this time, this concludes our ceremony, in celebration of our two hundred and forty-second Marine Corps birthday. Please rise, as Chaplin Lapointe offers this evening's grace."

They stood, waiting until the prayer was finished before the announcer said something that made everyone happy.

"Ladies and gentlemen, dinner will now be served. Please feel free to move about the ballroom and enjoy your evening."

The catering staff came out to place salads on everyone's plates and dinner rolls on the tables. Natsu breathed out a long sigh, happy the ceremony was over.

He loved the Marine Corps and its traditions, but some parts were more tedious than others. Overall, his favorite part of the ceremony was the sabers, his least being the long speech by the guest of honor.

Natsu looked over to see Lucy taking large bites of her salad. If he had to guess, she was just as hungry as he was. He ate his salad without saying a word, listening as the people around him spoke.

"Who wants to get a drink?" Jellal asked, standing up before getting Erza's chair. A few people got up to follow them, Gray, Juvia, Natsu, and Lucy staying behind. Natsu and Lucy were too young to drink, Juvia said she didn't want to, and Gray was driving later.

Despite the table being half-empty, the voices around them didn't dissipate. Natsu used that as the perfect cover, hoping it would prevent anyone from eavesdropping. He waited until Lucy finished her salad before tapping her on the arm, seeing her smile as she looked at him.

"Yeah?"

"Hey, I had a question." He waited until she nodded before asking, "Why aren't you allowed to date Marines?" Not only did he want to talk to her, he was curious. Her father was a Marine, so surely he didn't think all Marines were bad, did he?

Lucy snorted, her smile growing wide as she shook her head. "Oh, it's not just Marines."

Natsu cocked his head, wondering why she looked amused. He didn't say anything, prompting her to explain after she dabbed at her lips with her napkin.

"My father says I'm not allowed to date coworkers, or guys from my school. He'll pretty much come up with an excuse he can so I don't date."

"So you just don't date?"

She chuckled, looking around to make sure no one was listening before leaning in. "I date. I just don't tell him."

Natsu couldn't help but laugh, feeling a growing blush as he spoke. "Probably a dumb question, but you don't have a boyfriend, right?"

Lucy shook her head, a light flickering behind her eyes. "No." She paused, giving him a wink. "Not yet anyways." Before he could ask, she placed a hand on his arm, giving him a squeeze. "If you play your cards right, maybe you can change that?"

Natsu gulped, feeling his face and ears burning as he nodded. "I'm not afraid of a challenge." Despite him saying that, his heart pounded harder and his nervousness grew.

She gave him a large grin before turning to the table, grabbing a dinner roll and packet of butter. "I hope not," she mumbled under her breath, but he heard her.

While she ate her roll, Natsu changed the subject, talking about the ceremony. Lucy told him a few differences she saw from the others she attended, saying every ball is just a little bit different from the last.

"What's the worst ball you ever went to?" Natsu asked, causing Lucy to bark out a laugh.

"I was just starting high school. The ball was being held in a field house. It was so cheap even though the tickets were crazy expensive. They put up black sheets to hide the bleachers in the gym, but we could still see them. Plus the food was awful. My chicken wasn't cooked all the way. I was going to just let it go, but my father made this big deal with the staff to bring me another one."

She put her hand on her face as she shook her head. "It was embarrassing."

"I bet. Was your next chicken better?"

"No, but I didn't tell him that." Her shoulders shook as she suppressed a laugh. "I just ate around the center and told my dad I wasn't hungry."

"Aww, so you skipped dessert?"

Lucy didn't hesitate to shake her head. "No way! Dessert is the most important meal of the day."

Natsu didn't bother arguing with her, laughing as he nodded. "You have a point. Gotta make sure you get those nutrients."

While they laughed, they didn't notice the staff coming near until a hand moving in the corner of Natsu's vision caught his attention. A man took his empty plate before replacing it with a plate full of food. He looked over, seeing the same was happening for Lucy.

Natsu's mouth watered, the amount of saliva he produced rivaling that of the juices coming from his steak. He scooped some mashed potatoes, letting the heavenly scent fill his nose before he took a bite, taste buds cheering in delight. He ignored the vegetables on his plate while he dug in, cutting his steak into large pieces before gnawing on one of them.

Lucy shook her head at his bad manners, but she didn't scold him. In fact, her brown eyes danced with amusement before she turned to her food, ironically eating the chicken despite her previous experience with the meat. She hummed at the flavor before cutting a piece, holding it out towards Natsu.

"Want some?"

He paused his chewing, looking from Lucy's fork to her eyes. He watched her closely, wondering why she was offering her food to him. Swallowing, Natsu shrugged, taking her fork before popping the meat into his mouth. He made sure not to touch his lips or tongue to her utensil, not wanting to gross her out.

"Damn. That's pretty good." He cut a smaller piece of his steak, offering it to her. She repeated his actions, being careful not to let her mouth touch his fork. Natsu wouldn't have minded if she did, but he wasn't going to let her know, not wanting to appear weird.

"Mmmm," Lucy hummed. "That's really good." She pretended to bring her fork towards his steak, but he playfully swatted at her hands, causing both of them to laugh. They ate with smiles on their faces, enjoying the other's company.

After a while, the table was full again. The conversations flowed until the soft music in the background changed, growing louder and more fast-paced. It wasn't long before Marines and their dates were flooding the dance floor.

Natsu asked if Lucy wanted to dance, but he rescind the offer once they saw the staff bringing out dessert. Since it was 'the most important meal of the day', they waited until after they ate their pieces of birthday cake before heading out to the dance floor.

Natsu didn't know how to dance well, so he copied what he saw other Marines doing, happy to see most of them didn't know what they were doing either. A few Marines and their dates were in the center of the dance floor, a space cleared out for them so people could watch as they moved with the music.

Natsu was one of the ones cheering when he saw a few of his buddies dancing in the middle, some of them acting silly while others danced as if it was second nature to them.

As much as Natsu loved the way his heart raced when the bass traveled through his body, he couldn't deny he loved the slow songs more. Lucy would wrap her arms around his neck as she danced close to him, a sliver of space between their bodies. At first, Natsu was too nervous to touch her, but as she swayed and smiled at him, his confidence grew.

Placing his hands on Lucy's waist, he felt a newfound fire burning in his stomach. Despite them being surrounded, Natsu focused on her and no one else, her soft smile making his heart flip and her sweet scent pleasing his nose. He had a strong sense of smell, but Lucy kept the perfume to a minimum, something he was grateful for.

Halfway through one of the slow songs, Natsu tightened his grip on her waist, earning a breathy sigh from his date. She leaned in, tilting her chin up so she was inches away from his mouth. Natsu didn't say anything as he leaned in, trying to close the gap between them.

However, right before their lips could touch, they heard someone clearing their throat beside them, Natsu jolting when he looked over to see who it was. His stomach twisted when he met a familiar pair of black eyes, an unsettling feeling spreading through his chest when his battalion commander narrowed his eyes.

"We aren't doing anything wrong," Lucy said, but Jude ignored her.

Instead of talking to Lucy, he kept his gaze on Natsu. "May I dance with my daughter?" he asked, tone suggesting Natsu shouldn't decline.

Gulping, Natsu let go of Lucy, flashing her an apologetic look before he stepped away, letting her father place a hand on her waist and cup her hand. He couldn't hear what they were saying since Jude purposely moved them away from Natsu, but judging by the strain in Lucy's jaw, it couldn't be good.

Natsu didn't know what he was supposed to do, so he stood there, frowning when Lucy and her father disappeared behind a crowd of dancers. He bit his inner cheek, wondering if he should have gone after her or if that would have made things worse. He decided to head back to his table, his plans crushed when he turned around, blocked by a woman.

"May I have this dance?" she asked, brown eyes just as warm as Lucy's.

Natsu hesitated before nodding, letting Lucy's mother place a hand on his shoulder while she took one of his hands. He didn't know if or where he was supposed to touch her. She must have realized, her smile kind as she said, "My shoulder blade will do fine."

Natsu swallowed thickly as he nodded, placing his hand on her shoulder blade like she instructed. They danced for the remainder of the slow song, Layla giving him some words of advice during their short time together.

"My husband can be a little brash at times, but he just wants what's best for our daughter."

Natsu was tempted to ask if that meant she also didn't think he was good enough for Lucy, but he held his tongue, letting her say what she wanted to say.

"She's his pride and joy, and he's scared some man will come take her away from him." Layla turned them with the song, Natsu doing his best to not step on her feet. Jude already didn't like him. He didn't want to give him more of a reason to hate him.

"Lucy's old enough to make her own decisions," Layla went on, not minding Natsu's clumsiness. "I trust my daughter's judgement. She's an intelligent young woman. If anything should start between you two, I expect you to respect Lucy." Her smile slipped from her face. "She deserves nothing less. Do you understand?"

Natsu nodded, his green eyes fixed on hers, hoping he conveyed how seriously he took her words. "I do."

"Good." Layla smiled again, eyes looking up for a second when the song started to fade. "Well, glad we had this little talk. If Lucy decides she wants to pursue this, you two have my blessing, on the condition that you treat her like she deserves."

"Absolutely ma'am."

Layla released her grip on him, chuckling as she took a step away. "You're already off to a good start. Thank you for not calling me madam. You have no idea how many times I've heard it tonight. Anyway, have a nice night, Natsu. Don't be too afraid of my husband. He's more bark than bite."

Natsu wanted to ask if that meant he had no bite in him, but she was already walking away. He turned to look for Lucy, only to find her walking towards him, her eyes narrowed as if she was mad at him. He opened his mouth to ask her what was wrong, but his voice cut out when Lucy grabbed his arm, dragging him off the dance floor and out of the ballroom.

They went outside of the convention center, heading towards the side of the building where Marines weren't gathered. Lucy let go of his arm, but her feet didn't stop moving, taking several steps ahead. Natsu followed her, not minding when they stepped into the darkness, the light from the building blocked by some trees.

The sun had set, the moon providing enough light to see Lucy's face. Her lips were pressed into a tight line, her arms crossing over her stomach. She shook her head, mumbling to herself.

"Where does he get off?"

Natsu knew it was an unnecessary question, but he asked anyway. "Who?"

"My father," she answered, voice clipped. She glared at the building, as if she could see through it and spot the man that angered her. He didn't like seeing Lucy upset. She was supposed to be smiling, but he understood everyone was allowed to be down when they felt like it. If he were her, he would be reacting the same way, if not a little angrier.

The only difference was he knew that wouldn't happen. He couldn't imagine his dad or mom every casting judgement on Lucy without getting to know her first.

Natsu allowed her a moment of silence as he ran his hand through his short hair. When she looked more calm, he asked, "What'd he say?"

Lucy shook her head, that anger flashing in her brown eyes. "He told me I could do better than a—" Her mouth slammed shut, but it was too late. Natsu knew what she was going to say, and it hurt.

His battalion commander thought his daughter could do better than a Lance Corporal. Natsu knew it was true, but it didn't soothe the sting in his heart. He remembered being proud when he got promoted, but now it was a constant reminder that he was inferior. That thought sparked anger, his blood burning in a bad way.

It wasn't his fault he was that rank. Jude had years of experience to get where he was now. Everyone started at the bottom. Natsu was just starting out. Of course he would be a low rank. His rank didn't determine what kind of a person he was, but despite knowing that, it still hurt knowing his higher up looked down on him.

The Marine Corps was about camaraderie, but Jude made it painfully obvious he didn't care about anything past Natsu's rank. He wasn't willing to see him as a person who had thoughts and feelings, discounting Natsu due to his status in the Marine Corps.

"It doesn't matter what he did or said," Lucy started, shaking her head. "And honestly, I doubt he really cares who I'm with tonight. I could have come with the governor of Magnolia and he still would've bitched about something!"

Lucy covered her mouth with a hand, a flush covering her cheeks as she mumbled an apology for being too loud. Natsu laughed, shaking his head as he walked towards the side of the building, leaning against a spot that looked relatively clean.

"Nah, don't worry about it. It was kinda cute."

His eyes widened when he realized what he said, but he couldn't bring himself to take the words back. He hadn't lied. Lucy did look cute when she was all fired up. He liked the fierce look in her eyes when she was asserting herself, even if she was supposed to look serious, not cute.

Natsu could make out her blush darkening as she fumbled for words, not helping her case if she didn't want him thinking she was cute. She cleared her throat before taking a deep breath. "Anyways, he's not the boss of me. I'm tired of sneaking around whenever I want to do something he disapproves of. I'm not backing down this time."

The look of determination flickered in her eyes once more, but it was gone a second later. She paled, voice strained as she said, "Oh wow, that was presumptuous of me." Silence filled the space between them, Lucy opening and closing her mouth a few times before she managed to say what was on her mind. "Do you even want to date me? It's totally fine if you just wanted this to be a one time thing."

As Natsu opened his mouth to reply, Lucy let out a squeak, shaking her head as she waved her palms in front of him. "That came out wrong! I meant the date, not anything else." She couldn't meet his gaze, too embarrassed to face him. "I never do anything on the first date."

Natsu felt himself flushing, his voice shaky as he said, "Wasn't plannin' on doing anything either." Even if she had wanted to, he wouldn't have made her feel bad for it.

He gulped, letting the awkward silence consume them. He struggled to find something to say, wanting to soothe her rage while also taking their mind off what  _wasn't_  going to happen tonight after the ball.

Natsu didn't want to rush anything with Lucy, happy with taking his time.

His eyes lit up when he found something he could say, hoping it would lessen her anger. He clenched his hands once before slowly releasing them, an anxious feeling spreading over his chest.

"If it makes you feel better, your mom said she's okay with us dating."

"Really?" Lucy asked, her brows furrowing. "When'd she say that?"

"While you were dancin' with your father. She came to talk to me." Natsu left out the part where they danced, not wanting Lucy to imagine how odd they looked. He hoped Layla wouldn't tell her husband about the dancing either. He imagined Jude would add that as another reason to disapprove of Natsu, even if that one wasn't his fault.

What was he supposed to do? Say no to the battalion commander's wife?

"What'd she say?"

Natsu smiled, remembering the kindness he saw in Layla. It reminded him of Lucy, the women sharing that trait in common. "She said as long as I respect you, she'll give us her blessing." Natsu cupped the back of his neck, feeling sweat on his fingers. The air was cold, enough to create goosebumps on Lucy's arms, but he was still sweating despite that, his nerves stronger than the weather.

He wished he wasn't in his uniform, that way he could offer Lucy his jacket. Since he wasn't allowed to take it off, Natsu was left with little options. He doubted Lucy would be okay with him hugging her for warmth. Ironically, the thought was enough to make heat flood his face.

"I was already gonna respect you anyways, whether you wanted to date or not..."

"I'd like to," Lucy started, voice barely a whisper. "To date you... If you're offering?"

Natsu found himself nodding. "I-I am."

Silence surrounded them, neither knowing what to say for a minute. Natsu gulped, taking a step closer to Lucy, watching as she stayed put, not budging from her spot. "Hey Lucy..."

"Yeah?" she asked, cocking her head.

A strong urge to tuck a stray lock of blonde hair behind her ear took over him, Natsu's body reacting before he could tell himself no. Lucy didn't stop him, her cheeks burning with a blush. He felt the heat from her skin when his fingers brushed against her, letting him know she was as flustered as him.

He thought about what happened on the dance floor, what they were about to do before Jude interrupted them. He swallowed, voice thick as he asked, "Can... can I kiss you?"

Lucy's pupils dilated as her lips loosened, a soft intake a breath following as she lifted her hands, setting them on his shoulder. Her head tilted as she leaned in, stopping after a few inches to say a single word.

"Yes."

Natsu pressed his lips against hers, feeling her fingers tighten her grip on him. He kept the kiss simple, moving his lips on hers without opening his mouth. He smiled against her lips, causing her to reflect the expression. They were both a little awkward and shy, but that didn't stop Natsu from feeling a weight lift from his chest, a rush of heat flooding his body. His heart hammered when Lucy pulled herself closer to him, loving the way her body seemed to fit perfectly against his.

She ended the kiss, tucking her head into the crook of his neck as she hugged him, careful to keep her hair away from his medals so they didn't get tangled. "You're warm," she mumbled, nuzzling her face against him, but he didn't feel it too much, his blue's jacket coming up high on his neck.

Natsu wrapped his arms around her waist, loving the intimacy behind their simple hug. Ever since their first hug at the movies, he had craved to feel her against him again.

He enjoyed that moment, wishing it would last longer, but accepting when it ended. Lucy pulled away, her hands still on his shoulders as she said, "Natsu... Would you... would you want to go on another date, after this one?"

Natsu couldn't stop the toothy grin that surfaced on his face even if he wanted to, which he didn't. He nodded, giving her sides a squeeze as he said, "I'd love that."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what'd you think of this chapter? They're going to start dating! :D Even though Jude doesn't approve of it. (He can go fuck himself) :P Let me know what you thought of this chapter. I mixed in a few different experiences I've had at balls to make this chapter. Let me know what you thought! I'd love hearing from you!
> 
> Sorry if the ceremony part seemed rushed, but I honestly don't think I could keep it entertaining if I wrote every detail down. It would slow down the chapter and make it -in my opinion- boring. I've been to four JROTC military balls in high school and five Marine Corps birthday balls. The ceremony can be pretty tedious after a while, so I chose to make that part shorter. Unless you're actually participating in the ceremony, you pretty much just sit there or stand there while they do their thing.
> 
> And for those asking, I got permission to answer. I wanted to respect his privacy, but he says he doesn't mind. The reason I know a lot about the Marine Corps is because my ex-husband is a Marine. At the time of posting this chapter, he was still my husband and was currently serving active duty, but he was close to getting out. He was in for a little over seven years. I should credit him as a reference because I've asked him a lot of questions already and we're only three chapters in. XD But yeah, that's how I know. I was also in JROTC for four years in high school (Army) and my Uncle was in the Navy for a while.
> 
> Thank you for the comments, kudos, and hits! Thank you so much for your feedback!
> 
> Up next: Chapter Four: Barracks Bunny
> 
> *Barracks Bunny is a derogatory term used to describe a girl who hops from barracks room to barracks room having sex with different Marines. This could be another Marine or a civilian. *Lucy’s not going to be a barracks bunny, but she will be joking about it and saying she feels like one in the next chapter. Don’t want anyone thinking I’m actually saying Lucy will be one.


	4. Barracks Bunny

****

**Chapter Four: Barracks Bunny**

A groan tore from Natsu's throat when he heard a knock on his door. He didn't want to answer it, keeping his face buried in his pillow as he wished the person away. Whoever it was didn't listen to his silent plea, the beating on his door sounding less than a minute later.

Natsu turned on his back, cursing his higher ups for putting him on guard. If it weren't for them all going along with that bastard's suggestion, Natsu wouldn't be in a state of constant exhaustion. Disgruntled, he crawled out of bed, wishing he could've slept longer. One glance at his phone let him know he had gotten less than five hours of sleep, something that made his brows pinch together as he padded his way to the door.

Natsu's eyes narrowed as he answered the door, expecting to see a Marine. His lips parted when he realized the person standing before him wasn't wearing a uniform, their body covered in sweatpants and a baggy jacket, their face mostly covered by their hood.

It took Natsu a moment to adjust to the bright sunlight, the face of his unexpected visitor slowly coming into focus. "What are you doing here?" he asked, looking around to see if anyone else saw her. When he deemed the coast clear, he stepped aside, allowing his girlfriend to enter his barracks room.

There were no rules preventing Lucy from being in the room alone with him, but if her father found out, Natsu would be in a world of trouble. He was already occupying one of the shittiest positions at his unit. He couldn't imagine what other lengths her father would stoop to to make his life a living hell.

Once Lucy was in the room and the door was locked, she removed her jacket, folding it a few times before setting it on the edge of his TV stand. She straightened her tank top since it had ridden up her stomach, giving Natsu a peek at her creamy skin.

He didn't need to stare to know what she looked like under her clothes, Lucy's body not as much as mystery to him as it was when they first met. He had seen her naked a handful of times now, but even still, he couldn't help but appreciate the nice view when it presented itself.

Natsu watched with mild curiosity as she kicked off her shoes and socks, sliding her sweatpants down her long legs. He liked the red and black gym shorts she wore because those were his favorite colors, but he didn't like her wearing so few clothes during that time of the year. It was late February, the air outside crisp and cold. It wasn't wise to wear a tank top and shorts in that weather, but thankfully he kept his room somewhat warm, even if Gray always complained that it was too hot.

Considering Gray was at his normal assignment and Natsu was recovering from his guard shift, Gray could suck it and put up with the heat when he got home later.

Natsu didn't say anything about Lucy's choice of clothing. Considering what they were about to do, she wouldn't have to worry about the temperature. More than likely they would end up in his bed, either fighting over the blankets as they watched TV or tangling their limbs together as they explored each other's bodies.

A smile slid on his face as he sat down on his bed, pushing the covers out of the way. He didn't mind either option, happy to get to spend some time with her.

His new position left him with little time for a social life. Lucy accommodated his new schedule, coming by his barracks room every so often so they could spend some alone time together instead of having him come by her work to chat. It was better for her anyway since she didn't risk getting in trouble with her manager, but it was harder on Natsu because Jude would be furious if he knew Lucy was hanging out with him behind closed doors.

 _'He can suck it too,'_  Natsu thought, running a hand through his short hair before he reached over, grabbing the remote to the TV just in case she wanted to watch something with him. Admittedly, he hoped they would do something more carnal, but he wouldn't mind either way. He just liked fooling around with her.

Lucy's eyes fell on Natsu, a small smile tugging on her lips. "I know you should be catching up on sleep, but I wanted to see you. Is that okay?"

Natsu nodded, not minding the company one bit. "Yeah, that's cool."

Sure, he was tired, but that didn't stop his pulse from racing, excitement flooding his chest when she grinned. It had been over a week since she last sneaked into his room so they could be alone, and he wasn't going to pass up the chance to spend time with her again. He could sleep later.

His new job assignment left him with a weird schedule that wasn't always easy to accommodate, especially with Lucy's school and work schedule mixed with it. He had done guard for three months so far, starting a week after the military ball was over.

People told him it was obvious the Lieutenant Colonel was punishing Natsu for dating his daughter, but without any solid proof, he couldn't do anything about it. 'Grin and bear it' was his only advice, that or break up with Lucy. Since he wasn't going to stop seeing her just because her father was a dick, he was left dealing with his new position.

Natsu had to admit, he was pushed to the limit a few times with his new job. He was a nighttime sentry, meaning he spent his nights guarding the ASP. By the time he started his shift, all his friends were getting ready to hang out after they got off work. By the time Natsu got off work, all his friends were heading to work while he went to catch up on sleep. Sleeping during the daytime had been a struggle at first, but he was getting used to it. The room darkening curtains helped a bit.

He didn't necessarily hate the other people on guard, but they didn't click well with them, making his long night shifts feel like they dragged on forever. Natsu wasn't a fan of patrolling around the ASP in the dark either. So far he had only one incident in the three months that he had been on guard, luckily being a false alarm.

A bird had somehow flown into one of the mags during the day, but no one noticed it when they locked up for the night. Natsu was halfway through his shift that night when he got a call on his radio saying one of the alarms was tripped. Since he was the closest to that mag, he had to go there and check it out while they waited on PMO to show up. He remembered standing around in the freezing cold while another nighttime sentry escorted the MPs to the mag.

When they unlocked and searched the mag, they found the culprit. The little bird had been flying around in the dark, trying to find an escape route. With the help of the MPs, the sentries were able to get the bird to fly out of the door. Natsu wondered if the bird had tried flying in there for warmth during the cold day, but it wasn't long until he was shrugging the thought out of his head, busy finishing his patrol.

Overall, Natsu hated his new job. He didn't like working at night and sleeping during the day. It left him with little time to see his friends and Lucy. Even on his days off he wasn't really relaxing, spending most of his time trying to catch up on sleep instead of hanging out with people. He hoped he would be taken off guard soon, but he had a feeling Jude was going to keep him there for a while. Usually guard lasted six months, so Natsu hoped that meant he was halfway through it.

He didn't know how much more of the weird schedule he could take.

Deciding he didn't want to think about his crappy job, Natsu lifted the remote, getting Lucy's attention. "Wanna watch somethin'?"

"Actually," Lucy started, sauntering towards his bed. He didn't know if she was purposely swaying her hips more than usual, but either way, it was doing something for him, his eyes trained on her body as she approached him. "I thought we could pick up where we left off... last time?"

Natsu's eyes widened, his face flushing as memories of Lucy's sweaty, writhing body filled his head. She was referring to the week before when she came to visit him, the two interrupted when Lucy's alarm went off, letting them know their time together was over. If she didn't have to go to class that day, Natsu would've asked her to stay, but he knew her education was more important than them getting off.

Natsu's blood rushed south as he nodded, setting the remote down before patting the spot beside him. Lucy smiled as she sat down, Natsu moving to hover over her. Lucy's hands rested on his firm chest before smoothing them over his pecs and shoulders, fingers squeezing at his hard muscles.

Since it wasn't the first, second, or even third time they had been intimate together, Natsu leaned in, capturing her lips with ease. The kiss started hot and heavy, the two truly picking up where they had left off. Lucy let out a cute moan when he thrust his tongue into her mouth, her fingers gliding over his chest before they ventured downwards, tugging at the hem of his shirt.

Natsu took the hint, separating from her sweet lips long enough to remove his shirt, tossing it aside. Pride thrummed through his veins from the hungry look she gave him, her eyes raking up and down his torso. He stole her breath away when he kissed her again, his hot fingers trailing down her side until he found her behind, groping her tight ass to earn another soft moan.

The two had been intimate for the past month and a half, neither wanting to go too far too fast. Natsu was fine with how they were now, doing everything that led up to sex without the actual act. He didn't mind waiting if it meant they were both comfortable, and he knew Lucy was willing to wait as well. Besides, the two were having a lot of fun without sex, especially since they both usually got off in one way or another.

Last week Natsu hadn't been able to finish either of them off due to lack of time, but he was determined to get her screaming his name today.

"What time," Natsu started, lips skimming her neck, earning a whimper from his girlfriend when he dragged his teeth against her sensitive skin. He knew she enjoyed when he taunted her, using that to his advantage "What time do you gotta leave?" He needed to know how much time he had with her. That would determine their pace.

Lucy hummed, one of her hands running through his short pink hair as he kissed and nipped at her neck. "Not until five."

Natsu's eyes widened a bit before a wicked grin pulled at his lips. "Really?" The last time he saw it was noon, meaning they had plenty of time to play.

Lucy nodded, her other hand rubbing against his chest and abs, fingers tracing his muscles, as if she were trying to memorize them. "I'm all yours."

That comment caused fire to rush through Natsu's veins as he latched onto her throat, licking the soft skin before he pulled back, groaning a little in protest. He couldn't leave hickeys on Lucy's neck. Not only would her father see them, she didn't want other people seeing them. They were unprofessional, and Lucy wanted people to take her seriously.

However, as long as Natsu left a mark that could be hidden, Lucy didn't mind.

His lips moved down her neck, leaving hot, lingering kisses on her flushed skin. He pushed her bra and shirt strap aside, latching his lips on her collarbone before giving it a suck, preparing her for what he was about to do.

Lucy shifted, thrusting out her shoulder to give him better access. Her nails raked against his scalp, her moan breathy as she said, "Do it."

Natsu's cock surged as his teeth sank into her tender flesh, her whimper making his heart jump. He absolutely loved biting her, claiming her in a way that made his inner dragon soar. Her grip on him tightened as his teeth and tongue lavished the spot, darkening her skin to leave a lasting mark.

"You taste so good," Natsu murmured, lips brushing against her flushed skin. Everything about her felt good, Natsu easily getting drunk off lust as she pulled him impossibly closer.

Lucy moaned, her voice sending shivers up and down his spine. "Again! Please!"

Natsu grinned, a devilish glint flashing in his eyes as he lowered his head. He obeyed, his mouth moving to the swell of her breast as his breath ghosted over her. She let out a sharp gasp when he nipped her once, getting her prepared for the real bite. He had to tug at the neckline of her tank top, revealing more of her soft skin.

Lucy tossed her head back when he latched on, Natsu's throaty growl making her shudder under him as her nails dug into him. He loved it, tongue lapping against her skin to show his appreciation. He wasn't lying. She tasted great, but he knew one part of her that would be more delicious.

When Natsu was sure he left a dark hickey on her skin, he pulled back, his fingers slipping under her shirt. Lucy removed it so Natsu's hands wouldn't have to leave her body, the man eager to cover her generous breasts concealed by her bra before giving her a gentle squeeze. He enjoyed the sounds she made when he dragged his fingers over her nipples, his lips pulling into a smirk when she whimpered, a pleading look in her eyes. "More!"

Lucy arched her back to get closer, a small cry escaping her parted lips when his thumbs swiped over the hard nubs again. Natsu didn't have to ask her to take her bra off, using his teasing to his advantage. He rubbed her nipples through material, driving his girlfriend wild until she couldn't take it anymore.

Lucy's hands reached behind her, her hazy eyes on him as she unclasped her bra and shrugged it off. Once the offending material was off, her hands landed on his chest, feeling the hot, hard muscles before she roamed, touching anything she could reach, including his strong arms and shoulders.

While she was busy with that, Natsu admired her chest, his hands settling over each breast before giving her a gentle squeeze. Lucy moaned, her nipples digging into his palms. Natsu leaned in to kiss her while his fingers played with her body, drawing out the best sounds that ignited the fire in his belly.

He suppressed a smile when he managed to make her giggle, his fingers ghosting over her sides to tickle her. He felt her grinning against his lips, warmth trickling into his heart. Natsu covered her breasts, teasing her nipples, rubbing the pads of his fingers against the hardened nubs. Wanting a stronger reaction from her, Natsu pinched her nipples, earning a drawn out whimper.

"You're so gorgeous," Natsu mumbled against her lips before he moaned, Lucy moving to kiss the spot under his ear. She dragged her tongue against his heated skin, his fingers rolling her nipples when she gave him a playful nip.

He knew she wouldn't leave a mark on his neck, even if part of him wanted her to claim him. They both knew better though. He would get chewed out if his higher ups caught him with a visible hickey, so the two refrained from leaving marks that couldn't be covered.

Lucy's mouth moved down Natsu's body, her hot tongue lapping over his nipple before she latched on. She was the first to ever play with that part of him, and at first he had been reluctant to let her continue, but after exploring that sensation for a while Natsu had grown to like it. His cock throbbed painfully in his pants, but he ignored it, eyes sliding shut as he dug his fingers into her skin, the two panting as the air around them thickened with their growing need.

Lucy's hand rubbed over his crotch, feeling the erection hidden beneath his clothes. They both moaned when she curled her fingers around his length, giving him a firm squeeze.

"Fuck," Natsu whispered, Lucy's tongue feeling like liquid fire as she licked his chest, her voice breathy as she stroked him through his clothes.

"I feel kind of like a barracks bunny," she joked.

Neither of them considered her one, but it was fun to tease. Natsu grabbed her ass as he tugged her closer to him, the heat between them growing. His voice was low and husky as he taunted her, wanting to feel her squirm in his arms. "Maybe you should hop on me then?"

His eyes widened when he heard the words out loud, worried they would offend her. He was about to apologize, but he didn't get a chance. His voice was cut off, silenced by a forceful kiss as Lucy climbed on, straddling his hips. She had to be careful or she would hit the top bunk, keeping her head low as she started moving.

Natsu groaned when she rocked against him, his covered-cock digging into her softness. He wanted their clothes off now, wishing he could somehow burn the material with his hands. With as much heat as there was coursing through Natsu's body, he was surprised there wasn't steam floating above them.

Natsu's mouth connected with her shoulder, kissing his way up her neck before planting his lips on hers. She ground herself against his arousal, pulling a wild growl from the man. She stoked the fire in his stomach, pleasure flooding his system as she dragged her hips against his. "Oh fuck! L- _Lucy!_ "

She let out a surprised yelp when Natsu flipped them, hovering over her while her back pressed into his mattress. He shifted, hands trailing down her body until he reached the waistband of her shorts. A finger slid over her crotch, a smirk forming on his lip as he asked, "Can I take these off ya?" He could feel the heat coming from her core, his excitement building.

Lucy nodded, lifting her ass so he could remove her shorts and panties easily. He wet his lips when he tossed the clothes aside, taking a moment to appreciate the gorgeous woman on his bed. "Everything about you is so fucking sexy," he whispered, fingers searing into her skin when he spread her legs, moving to his elbows before he pressed his nose into her soft blonde curls.

Her direct scent threatened to break his resolve, but he held strong. Instead of taking a lick like he desperately wanted to, Natsu slipped a finger through the wet folds, mouth watering as he pushed into her core, just to tease her. Her walls squeezed him as he entered, a growl rumbling in his chest when he felt how slick she was.

"You're soaked," he moaned, earning a choked gasp from Lucy when he twisted his finger, feeling her inner walls clamping around him without warning.

Natsu let her moans encourage him as he toyed with her entrance, pulling his finger out before running it along her slit. Her skin was glistening with her natural juices, a testament to how turned on she was. A smile tugged at his lips, his confidence rising from the sight. He was able do that to her, and that made him proud of himself.

Dragging another finger against her folds, he collected the wetness before pushing in again, this time with two fingers. "Oh god!" Lucy's body jerked when he started thrusting his fingers, her head thrown back as she moaned with abandon. " _Natsuu!_ "

Natsu swore under his breath, loving the way his name rolled off her tongue. He rubbed along her walls while he thumbed her clit, one arm holding her down as he breathed in her intoxicating scent. Her arousal was strong enough to drive him crazy, the fire inside him burning bright as he drove his fingers in and out of her, pushing her closer to the edge.

"Ahh! Na- _Naaatsuuu!_ "

He waited until he felt her walls convulsing before he snickered, hot breath fanning over her clit. She hadn't come yet, but she was very close, teetering on that edge. "I wanna taste you."

" _Please!_ " she begged, bucking her hips to get closer to that teasing mouth.

Natsu almost grinned as he sealed his lips around her bundle of nerves, pleased when she gripped at his shoulders, nails biting his skin. The pain was oddly pleasurable, his cock pulsing at her high sobs. He was still caged in his shorts, not caring that he was getting his boxers messy with his pre-cum. The erotic sounds coming from Lucy made everything worth it, his eyes peering up at her as he lapped at her clit, causing the woman to writhe under him.

Natsu groaned when he dipped his tongue into her sex, the taste making his head spin. " _Fucking hell_ ," he murmured, sucking on her outer folds before slipping his tongue in again, using his fingers to spread her glistening skin. She was dripping with need, her walls desperately trying to squeeze around anything he could give her, which judging by her whimpers, wasn't enough.

Natsu smiled against her clit when he pushed two fingers into her again, hearing the satisfied moan tearing from her throat. He liked teasing her, but he also enjoyed giving her what she wanted, especially when she showed her appreciation immediately. It was often in the form of a throaty moan or with praise, but that time she chose to a more physical approach. She rocked her hips towards him, pushing herself closer to his wicked tongue and thick fingers.

" _Almost!_ " Lucy cried out, legs tensing. "Almost there!"

Natsu breathed against her pussy, her scent surrounding him. "What do you need Lucy?"

"Add another finger," she whimpered, letting him know how to get her off. "Please!"

Natsu complied, pulling his two fingers out before popping three into his mouth, wetting the third so it would slid in easier. Not only that was it a fast was to get his finger wet, he wanted to taste her arousal, moaning at the flavor. He swore nothing could rival her unique taste, heat flooding his body as he lapped over the fingers.

He made sure there was excess saliva on his fingers as he lowered his hand to her core, his lips attaching to her bundle of nerves as he thrust three digits into her overflowing heat.

"Oh,  _fuck!_ " Lucy's body shook, her toes curling as she succumbed to the pleasure, Natsu's attentive fingers working magic inside her.

"So beautiful," he mumbled, transfixed by her expression. He rubbed at her walls, feeling her clenching around his digits relentlessly as his fiery mouth sealed itself around her clit once more, lapping at the sensitive button.

Lucy's thighs pressed against both sides of his head as her hips jerked, her orgasm approaching quickly. Natsu didn't give up, his tongue swirling and his fingers thrusting, pushing her closer to that edge, wanting to see her unravel by his touches.

Lucy's head fell back as she covered her mouth with a hand, muffling the sweet moans pouring from her parted lips as she came. Despite her trying to cover her sounds, Natsu heard his name, grinning as he lapped up the overflowing juices, growling at the sweet yet slightly bitter taste of her pussy. He couldn't see himself getting tired of the heavenly flavor, wishing he could have her every day, but his stupid schedule prevented that.

Natsu didn't allow himself to let his mind wander back to the Marine Corps, instead focusing on the woman panting under him as he pulled up, hovering over her. His cock ached in his shorts, but he couldn't fuck her, even if he really wanted to. She was dripping with arousal, his cock was throbbing for her, and Natsu knew Gray had a stash of condoms in his dresser. If they wanted to, they could finally have sex.

Natsu had half a mind to ask if she was ready for that next step, but he swallowed the question, not wanting to put any pressure on her. He would wait until she suggested it, that way he knew she wasn't making her decision based on his wants. Besides, seeing Lucy get into position let him know he wasn't going to be aching for much longer, the woman moving between his legs as her hands reached for his shorts.

"I need to taste you," she breathed, hand brushing against his bulge before getting to work. Natsu hissed when the material of his shorts and boxers slid against his cock, Lucy pulling them down to reveal his length. She had to break away from him so he could get his clothes off his legs, but she didn't let that ruin the mood, instead slipping to her knees next to the edge of the bed. "Come here," she whispered in a sultry voice, tugging on his knees.

Natsu was confused for a moment until he scooted to the edge of the bed, Lucy's hands resting on his inner thighs as she settled between his legs. He got the message loud and clear when she leaned in, tongue dragging along the underside of his cock, her cheeks flushed as she lapped up the pre-cum dribbling down the sides.

"God damn," Natsu mumbled, spreading his legs as his stomach tensed, abdominal muscles contracting with his every breath. "Shit, that's sexy!"

She locked eyes with him, a wave of pleasure crashing over him from the look she gave him. She looked like a predator observing her prey, ready to pounce at any second. Honestly, he would let her do whatever she wanted to him in that moment, putty in her hands.

Lucy wrapped her lips around the side of his cock, tongue stroking the sensitive skin while her hands moved, one working to pump a few inches of his cock near the base while the other cupped his balls, gently fondling him. His breath hitched when her lips slid up his cock, wrapping themselves around the head before giving him a soft suck.

Her demeanor changed, suddenly appearing more innocent than before, yet somehow still seductive. She looked up at him with big brown eyes, batting her long lashes as she sank on his cock, taking more into her mouth.

Natsu grunted as he gripped the edge of the bed, teeth clenched to hold himself back. He wanted to tell her she looked like a dirty girl on her knees, but they were still relatively new to their relationship. He didn't know what would and wouldn't offend her. Until he figured it out, he would play it safe, only giving her compliments he knew she responded well to.

"Oh fuck  _yes!_ "

There were a few things he wanted to try, but hadn't done in fear of risking the relationship. Spanking Lucy's gorgeous ass was on the top of the list, as well as sinking his teeth into her behind, or fucking her face. Having her blow him was amazing, but he really wished he could hold her head still while he thrust into her mouth, choking her with his cock.

Natsu's head tipped back as he growled, swearing at himself for almost coming undone by his thoughts alone. He couldn't help it. Lucy sparked a kinky side in him, and he partially blamed their time together for that. She looked so innocent when they were out in public, but when they were behind closed doors, she showed just how dirty she could get.

Lucy pulled herself from his cock, lips brushing against the head as her tongue prodded his slit, collecting the newest bead of pre-cum. "Do you like when I suck you?" Lucy asked, mouth wrapping around his length before he got a chance to answer.

" _Fuuuck_ ," he groaned, unable to stop himself from resting his hand on her head, fingers tangling in her golden locks. Her eyes seemed to brighten by the action, a moan of her own resounding in her throat as she bobbed on his cock. "Yes! I fucking love it!"

His hand didn't apply much pressure, letting her control the speed. Just holding her was enough to satisfy the urges he had inside him, wanting to push further, but knowing he had to be respectful. He was still learning when it came to intimacy, and Lucy was a great teacher, so patient and kind.

Sure, knowing she had more experience than him bothered him at first, but he was working on himself, knowing what Lucy did in the past didn't affect their relationship. She never made him feel inferior or stupid when he asked her what she liked or needed to get off, instead guiding him, showing him how to pleasure her.

Lucy made sure things weren't awkward like his past sexual experiences had been, taking the lead when she needed to, or surrendering control when Natsu was in a dominating mood. She was amazing, and Natsu considered himself lucky she wanted to be with him.

" _Lucy!_ " Natsu swallowed thickly, his fingers tightening in her hair as he tried holding back. "I'm gonna...  _Oh fuck!_ " The coil in his stomach snapped without enough warning, triggering his release. " _Nggh!_ "

Lucy plunged herself on his cock, his thick cum spurting into her mouth, overwhelming pleasure spreading through every nerve in his body. He panted, one eye squeezed tight as he emptied himself, his cock throbbing against her tongue.

She continued licking him, making sure to clean every drop of cum off his shaft before she pulled away. Natsu groaned when he saw and heard her swallow, finding it incredibly sexy she was willing to do that, especially since he never asked her to.

They already had a talk about safe sex, one of the topics being STDs. The Marine Corps tested for some things, but Natsu went off base to a local clinic to get a full STD panel to make sure he was clean of everything.

He had the option to get that done at the naval hospital, but Natsu was worried his Lieutenant Colonel would somehow find out Natsu got tested. While he knew his medical history was supposed to be confidential, he wouldn't put it past the officer to go to extreme measures to mess with him.

He had to pay out of pocket, but the relief of knowing he was truly safe from Jude's watchful eye made it worth it. Lucy's friend, Juvia, even helped him out, letting him use her address so the paperwork wouldn't go to the unit and somehow end up in the wrong hands.

"Fuck, you're amazing," Natsu breathed, his chest heaving as he slowly untangled his hand from her hair.

Lucy smiled up at him, light flickering behind her brown eyes. "Why, thank you."

Natsu shook his head, chuckling as he said, "I should be thanking you. You're really good at that." She had a divine mouth and definitely knew how to use it.

Lucy's hands rested on his thighs as she hoisted herself up, stretching her long legs. Natsu knew she knew she was adorable when she bit her lower lip, cocking her head before winking at him. "It's been a while since I was on my knees."

Natsu groaned, grinning at the teasing minx. He wrapped his arms around her thighs, pulling her closer. Lucy giggled as she grabbed the bed above him, holding herself steady as he pressed his face against her soft stomach. He considered asking if she wanted to do more, but he felt a yawn coming on, letting him know he needed to get to bed soon. He didn't have to work tonight since it was his day off, but that didn't mean his body was okay with missing out on the much-needed sleep.

Natsu gave her ass a playful pat before letting go, wishing he could really spank her. He wanted to hear her cry out in pleasure with a hint of pain, but he kept that part of him dormant, not wanting to freak her out.

"Come on," he whispered, hands sliding around her thighs as she stepped away. "We should get dressed."

Lucy nodded, offering him a kind smile as she turned around, momentarily stunning him with the view of her firm butt. He had to blink a few times to snap himself out of his daze, reminded that he had a task to do.

Natsu stood, searching the floor to find his boxers and shorts. He threw them on before grabbing his shirt, tossing it in the laundry basket. The room felt much warmer than before, but that could've been caused by their activities, his heart still beating rapidly while the sweat clinging to his body started to dry.

"I gotta get some sleep," Natsu started as he plopped on his bed, moving his pillow to the center of the headboard.

Lucy misunderstood him, her eyes widening before she nodded. "I can go."

Natsu shook his head, reaching a hand out towards her. "I was gonna ask if you wanna take a nap with me?" It wouldn't be the first time she slept in his bed, but it would be the first time she didn't do it because she passed out after they fooled around. He hoped she would take him up on the offer. Even though his bed was small, he didn't mind sharing it with her, wanting to spend more time with Lucy, even if he was asleep during it.

Lucy's eyes softened as she nodded, padding her way to him. "Yeah. I could use a nap."

Natsu scooted over when Lucy climbed in next to him. He pulled the covers over their bodies, coiling an arm around her middle to pull her flush against him. He wondered if she could feel his heartbeat on her back, but he didn't ask, eyes slipping closed as he buried his nose into her golden locks. He took a deep inhale before shifting back a bit, a warm smile resting on his lips as he started letting go of consciousness.

He was exhausted, and Lucy's comforting presence made him relax. He couldn't help but welcome sleep's embrace, his voice low as he whispered, "G'night."

Natsu kissed her bare shoulder before his head sank into the pillow. He heard and felt Lucy giggle, probably because he was saying goodnight when it was the afternoon. She didn't comment on the time, instead snuggling closer to him before whispering back, her voice sweet and soft. "Good night. Sweet dreams."

* * *

Natsu's brows furrowed when he felt himself waking up. He pushed his face against his pillow, taking a deep breath, only to jolt when he smelled Lucy's soft scent. He pulled back, blinking in confusion as his eyes adjusted to the darkness.

Looking around, Natsu could tell it was nighttime. There were no lights shining around the curtains of his barracks room, letting him know the sun had gone down. He slowly sat up, frowning at the empty spot beside him. He wasn't too surprised Lucy was gone. She mentioned she had to leave at five, and he figured it was past that time.

With a grunt, Natsu pushed himself to his feet, padding his way to the bathroom to properly get ready for bed. He was a little disappointed he spent one of his days off in bed all day, but at least he got to see Lucy, even if they didn't get a chance to really talk.

Being on guard was something his recruiter never warned him about, but he understood why it was never mentioned in any pamphlet he ever received. It wasn't an appealing job, no matter how he looked at it.

When he went back to his bed, he saw a lump under the covers in the bed above his, Gray's dark hair peeking out from the blanket. Natsu sighed, wishing he had gotten to hang out with his roommate a little before he went to sleep, but there was always the chance they could hang out another time.

Natsu grabbed his phone, realizing it had been on the charger all day. He took it off, slipping into bed as he turned on the screen. He hissed at the brightness, turning it down before checking his notifications. A smile worked its way onto his lips when he saw he got a text from Lucy, the message received a few minutes before five.

_**Lucy: I had a really great time with you. If you want, I'm free tomorrow between 1 and 3 if you want to get lunch with me? Text me and let me know. :) I'm already looking forward to seeing you again. BTW, you make the cutest faces when you're asleep.** _

Attached was a photo of her taking a selfie next to him while he was passed out, his mouth wide open with drool trickling out of the corner of his mouth. Natsu couldn't help but flush with embarrassment, hoping she was telling the truth when she said she thought it was cute. He didn't want her thinking he was disgusting.

Despite the slight fear of her real thoughts, Natsu had to smile. He had fun with Lucy, even when they teased each other. Hell, it was one of the reasons he liked her so much. She was such a bright and interesting person. He couldn't believe someone like her was interested in him considering the things standing in their way.

His low rank.

His fucked up schedule.

Her dad's hatred of him.

He was sure there were others, but Natsu didn't want to think about anything negative. Instead, he started typing out a message, saying he would love to grab lunch with her tomorrow.

Natsu's eyes widened when he got an immediate reply, surprised Lucy was awake.

_**Lucy: Hey! That's awesome. :P I'll pick you up around 1:15 if that's okay?** _

**Sounds great. Can't wait.**

He didn't expect her to message him again, his smile growing wider when his phone vibrated.

_**Lucy: What are you doing?** _

**Laying in bed.**  Natsu was about to press send, stopping just before his thumb hit the button. He paused, heart jumping as he added one line, sparking a conversation between them.  **And thinking about you.**

Natsu couldn't shake the happiness that spread through him as he spent the next few hours texting Lucy, the two falling into a comfortable conversation easily. He enjoyed spending time with her, regardless of how that connection was met.

Having a high ranking officer angry at him sucked, and his new position frustrated him, but if the only way to fix those things was to break up with Lucy, Natsu wouldn't give in. He could tolerate a little hazing. Lucy was worth it, the woman making his chest feel lighter and his heart feel warmer.

She was making his life brighter, and there was nothing Jude could do to keep Natsu away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up next, Chapter Five: Mandatory Have Fun
> 
> So, what'd you think of this chapter? I wanted to give Lucy a bit more experience than Natsu so she could teach him how to make her feel good. :P Bet Natsu'll be happy when he finds out Lucy has a kinky side to her too. It won't get too extreme, but he'll definitely get to cross all the things off his list, as well as do a few extras. Hope you liked the chapter. Please let me know your thoughts in a review! I love hearing from you!
> 
> *I don't think I mentioned it in the story, but the reason Lucy is experienced without having too many serious relationships is because she had a few flings since she didn't want to get close to anyone romantically. She already knew her father wouldn't approve and she figured she wouldn't put herself through the trouble. But, Natsu's worth that trouble to her. 
> 
> Thank you for the support! I appreciate all the kudos, hits, and comments!!
> 
> Terms:
> 
> Barracks bunny- A derogatory word for a woman who hops from barracks room to room having sex with different Marines. This person could be another Marine or a civilian. (Obviously Lucy isn't a barracks bunny since she's only seeing Natsu, but she had fun using the term.)
> 
> MAG- Short for Magazine. It's a concrete building used to store ammunition at the ASP.
> 
> PMO- Provost Marshal's Office. Basically military police officers.
> 
> MP- Military Police
> 
> Guard- Marines put on guard are basically security guards. It's a necessary part of operations, but sometimes it can be used as a punishment since not a lot of people like to be on guard. There are different positions within guard, but Natsu's is a nighttime sentry. He mostly patrols the ASP at night or hangs out in the guard shack when he's taking his breaks.
> 
> Remember to tell me your thoughts!


	5. Mandatory Have Fun

**Chapter Five: Mandatory Have Fun**

"Hey! Dragneel!"

Natsu jolted, his head snapping to the side to see Erza sitting at a nearby picnic table. He thought he could get by without her seeing him, but not much got past the sergeant, her vigilance as sharp as the knives in her collection. He hadn't seen them in person, but judging by the pictures she showed him once, they looked like they could cut without much pressure.

Natsu blinked, shoving the random thought aside as he stepped closer to the woman. He almost scolding himself for putting his hands in his pockets before realizing he wasn't in uniform. He was allowed the simple action, but only because he was wearing civilian attire. He didn't think to get dressed up for the mandatory have fun, especially since he wouldn't be having much fun anyway. A shirt and shorts were enough to satisfy him.

The event was actually called 'family day', but since Natsu had no family around, it was just another day to him.

"Glad you could make it," Erza said, gesturing to the seat opposite her on the bench.

Natsu looked at the table, seeing one piece of strawberry cake on her plate. He liked the occasional sweet, but he didn't know how she could stand to eat so much sugar all the time. She had to be sporting a lot of cavities, but every time she gave a smile, her teeth looked better than his.

"Can't," Natsu said, sighing as he nodded in the direction he was originally heading. "I gotta manage the obstacle course."

By obstacle course, he meant the giant inflatable toy where kids could run through and race, and by manage, he meant make sure the kids removed their shoes and anything sharp before they were allowed on.

"Really?" Erza furrowed her brows, eyes roaming around the park before she gave up on whatever it was she was looking for. "I thought you'd get a break now?"

Natsu shook his head, wishing that were the case. "Nope. Ain't no rest for the wicked." He laughed at his own joke before taking a step back. In all honesty, he wasn't too pissed. Sure, he had to work while most of the other Marines had fun, but at least he was finally off guard duty.

He swore those six months would never pass, but they did, and he was more than thankful for it. He would start going back to work during the day the following Monday, but for now, he had to play along with whatever 'punishment' his Lieutenant Colonel deemed fit.

"See ya later," Natsu said, turning towards the obstacle course. Out of all the jobs available, managing that wasn't so bad. It beat the hell out of police calling when everything was done, especially since he could already see some trash floating around the park from the Marines and their families.

While he wanted to stay optimistic, he couldn't help but let his shoulders sag as the hours slowly dragged on. He was tired of seeing other people have fun while he was stuck in one place with no one to talk to. Gray and some of Natsu's other friends showed up, but they were all busy with their families or friends, leaving Natsu by himself.

That was, until he got a text from his girlfriend, saying she had just gotten off work and would be there soon to see him.

Natsu grinned as he thought about Lucy, some of his frustration fading away. He was looking forward to seeing her, his mood lightening considerably. Lucy had a way of making him happy. There was something about her that made him feel better about himself, even if she called him a dork every time he told her that.

He didn't mind. She always smiled and laughed when she said it, and that only made his world a little brighter.

With her around, he was sure he could make it through the day without losing his mind.

* * *

Natsu perked up when he spotted Lucy across the park. She was dodging through the crowd, avoiding rambunctious kids and even more rambunctious Marines. He snorted when he saw she was still wearing her work pants, but at least she changed out of her polo, allowing her to blend in better.

"Hey!" He waved, loving the grin that spread over her face. She was beautiful, the light in her smile making his heart warm. That blissful feeling only doubled when she stepped up to him, accepting the tight hug he gave. "Missed you."

She chuckled, her laugh soft and happy. He enjoyed the sound of her laugh, usually trying to pull a few extra from her if he could help it. He didn't bother denying he was greedy, and Lucy didn't seem to mind either.

"Hey Natsu," she mumbled into his chest, hesitating before she pulled away. She didn't notice him inhaling her scent, but she did hear the soft rumble in his chest, sounding suspiciously like a low growl. She didn't say anything about it, instead looking at the obstacle course before turning back to him. "Are you about to go on it or something?"

"Actually..." Natsu forced a smile, more for his sake than hers. He didn't want to admit out loud how unhappy he was with his assignment. Sure, it beat the hell out of being on guard, but he would rather be hanging out with the other Marines. He really wished they'd at least rotate him with someone else, that way he got a break from the job.

 _'At least the kids aren't being bratty,'_  he thought, counting that as a pro. He was normally good with kids, but he didn't like being forced to police them when he was supposed to be relaxing and 'having fun'.

It was true. Mandatory have funs weren't usually fun.

"I'm kinda working," he started, rubbing the back of his neck before glancing at the ground. His eyes widened a bit when he saw a kid about to climb on the obstacle course, his muddy shoes still on his feet. "Hey! Gotta take your shoes off before you can get on."

Lucy's lips parted as she watched Natsu directing the children, her eye twitching before she looked around at the park. She didn't spot what she was looking for, but that didn't settle her nerves, her brows pinching together as she huffed. "Who told you to do this?"

Natsu sighed, wishing Lucy's father had been anyone else. He didn't like pitting them against each other, but he felt stuck in the middle no matter what he did. "My First Sergeant, but I'm pretty sure he got the orders from higher up."

Lucy took a deep breath, shaking her head before she pulled out her phone. "Don't worry. I'll take care of this."

Before she could dial her father's number, Natsu gently put his hand over her device. He merely hovered, not wanting to upset her by actually touching her phone without permission. "Please, don't do anything." He kept his voice low so the kids wouldn't overhear. It was none of their business, and knowing his luck, one of them would repeat what he said to the wrong person. "I don't wanna get in trouble."

"You shouldn't have to worry about getting in trouble though," Lucy said, not bothering to keep her voice down. Despite her obviously wanting to call her father and scold him, Lucy put her phone away, though she did so reluctantly. "This isn't fair."

"No, it's not." Natsu crossed his arms over his chest, wondering how long her father would meddle before he got the picture. Natsu wasn't going to stop dating Lucy unless it was what they wanted. He wasn't going to let someone else mess up their relationship. He was having fun with Lucy, and he intended on keeping that up until one or both of them decided to end it.

Though, if he were being honest with himself, the thought of them breaking up made his stomach twist. He didn't expect to grow attached to Lucy that quickly, but he found himself liking her more and more each day. Every long, heartfelt conversation with her made him yearn to be with her more, and every time they laughed with each other made him feel alive. He didn't want it to end, but he wouldn't try to change her mind if she truly wanted to leave him.

However, judging by the way she curled into his side a moment later, she wasn't ready to call it quits either.

"Fine," she whispered, leaning her head against his chest. "I won't say anything."

Natsu nodded, happy that was settled. He wrapped his arm around her, keeping her close. Part of him worried they would get in trouble for public displays of affection, but he wasn't in uniform. He figured it'd be fine if he just hugged her for a while. Until anyone said something about it, Natsu was going to take advantage of Lucy's affections.

He didn't get to hold her for long, Lucy pulling away when all the kids had gone through. Natsu didn't mind too much, glad he still had her around to talk to. He asked her about how her day had been going so far, pleased to find out it had been good.

Ten minutes passed before Natsu was busy attending to the kids again, making sure none of them were roughhousing too much. It wasn't a hard job, but it was boring after a while, especially when he saw his friends in the distance having fun.

He didn't notice Lucy studying his face, taking subtle clues to figure out what he was thinking. She smiled, patting his back before saying, "I'll be right back."

Natsu wanted to protest, but he kept his mouth shut. He didn't want to force Lucy to hang out with him if she didn't want to, so he nodded, watching as she left his side. It wasn't long before he was distracted again, wishing time would fly by so he could go back to his room and relax, or possibly hang out with some of the other Marines if they were up for it.

While Natsu was stuck in his head making plans, Lucy was on a mission, seeking out a friend among the crowd of people. Once found, his girlfriend returned to the obstacle course, this time with a few additional people.

Natsu furrowed his brows in confusion when he saw Lucy walking beside Alzack and Bisca, both Sergeants and expert riflemen. On Lucy's hip was a child, her dark hair and familiar face giving away her identity. Natsu hadn't met the Connell's daughter, but Alzack had told Natsu a story or two about the girl.

However, Natsu didn't understand why Lucy brought them over, but he didn't have to ask, Lucy explaining once she stopped in front of him. "Asuka here wants to race, but she's too good to go against a bunch of kids," Lucy said, causing Natsu to hold back a snort.

The girl didn't appear that fast or strong, but looks could be deceiving. He played along, crossing his arms over his chest as he adopted a cocky attitude. "Oh yeah? Think you could go up against an adult?"

Natsu thought one of the girl's parents were going to race her, or maybe even Lucy, but he was surprised when Asuka pointed her finger at him and shouted, "I bet I can beat you!"

Natsu chuckled, knowing he wouldn't lose if he was pitted against a child her age. Instead of bursting her bubble, Natsu simply shrugged. "Sorry, I can't race ya. Someone has to man the fort. Guess we'll never know."

That wasn't the end of it, the girl relentless as she squirmed in Lucy's hold. "Chicken! You're just scared I'll beat your butt!"

Natsu couldn't stop himself from laughing along with Asuka's parents, finding the kid entertaining. He looked at Lucy before shifting his weight to one foot. "Was this supposed to cheer me up? Bring someone over to trash talk me?" He made sure to keep his tone light and teasing, but he was still curious why she brought the family over. He wasn't close with either Marine, only talking to them a few times in passing, and always with others around.

His silent question was answered after Lucy let Asuka down, smiling as she said, "Can't call it trash talk if it's true." Before Natsu could bark out a laugh, she added, "Why don't you race her and see for yourself."

As much as Natsu wanted to slack off and have fun, he couldn't. Someone had to stay and do his job, and he didn't want to ask anyone else to take on that burden. "Can't really do that," he said, trying to hide his disappointment. "Who's gonna make sure people don't poke a hole in the thing if I do?"

"I'll do it," Alzack volunteered, straightening his cowboy hat.

For a second Natsu wondered why some Marines loved wearing cowboy hats, but he shoved that thought out of his mind so he could ask, "Are you sure?"

Alzack nodded, not looking bothered by the responsibility in the least. "Yeah. It's no trouble."

Natsu hesitated, wondering if he would get in trouble for leaving his post. His decision was made up for him when Bisca placed a hand on her hip, giving him a cocky grin that let him know she meant business. "You gonna disobey a Sergeant?" She was teasing, he could tell, but she had a point. Who was he to tell a Sergeant no.

With a deep breath, Natsu grinned, loosening his body as he mentally prepared himself for what he was about to do. "No, Sergeant. Wouldn't dream of it."

* * *

"On your mark! Get set! GO!"

Natsu jumped on the obstacle course while Asuka climbed it. He dived and weaved, getting through the course easily. The only trouble was his weight had him sinking a bit, but since he kept moving it wasn't an issue. After enduring boot camp, an inflatable course was nothing.

Halfway through he had to scale the wall using rope, which was where he decided to slow down. He didn't look back to see where Asuka was, but he did hear Bisca and Lucy cheering on the side, along with a few others who decided to watch. Natsu didn't think anything of it, instead focusing on climbing the wall at a moderate pace, allowing Asuka to catch up.

He slid down a short slide before having to dive through some inflatable tubes. Once through, he saw the end. He clenched his teeth together, knowing he had gone too fast in the beginning. He made up for it with the next challenge, purposely slipping during the climb. He would let go of the straps he was supposed to use to hoist himself up, but after a while he couldn't keep pretending he was falling, otherwise Asuka would know what he was doing.

He made it to the top, seeing the last thing to do was slide down to the bottom. Natsu looked behind him, seeing Asuka emerge through her own tubes before stumbling towards the straps on the wall. He moved aside, sitting at the top of his slide while he waited.

When he saw Asuka was almost done, he started sliding. He didn't reach the bottom first though. Natsu grabbed a fistful of the course at the top, holding onto it while Asuka caught up. He didn't let go until he heard Bisca cheering for her daughter, celebrating her victory.

Natsu slid to the bottom, laughing a the fun he had. Despite it being an easy course, his heart was racing. He had an urge to go for a run or do some pull ups, but he did neither. Instead, he walked over to Lucy, wrapping her in a hug before lifting her in the air.

She let out a yelp, her cheeks turning red as he spun her in the air. His mood had gotten better since that morning, all thanks to Lucy. That only increased when he heard her whispering in his ear. "You're so sweet."

He nuzzled against her neck, unsure if she could hear him when he mumbled, "Thanks."

"You're pretty good with kids."

Natsu shrugged, pulling back so he could look at Lucy. "She kinda reminds me of Wendy when she was that age." He didn't have to explain who Wendy was, Lucy already hearing about his family tree. His little sister had been discussed right along with Zeref, his older brother.

Natsu was in such a good mood he didn't even mind when Asuka called him a loser. In fact, it only made him laugh on the inside. He set Lucy down, placing a hand over his chest as he feigned offense. "Dang, that hurts," he said, unable to smother his smile when he heard Lucy giggling behind him.

He would lose a thousand races if it meant hearing that sweet laugh. He swore it was addicting. Hell, everything about the woman was addicting, and he didn't want to quit her.

While everyone laughed, one of the Marines who had been watching said, "Damn, I thought they trained you better than that!"

Natsu couldn't help but chuckle. "Guess not, Staff Sergeant." He didn't mind 'losing' since he had a good time. However, if he was going against other adults, he wouldn't have held back.

Natsu started heading back to the start of the obstacle course, knowing his break was over. When he got there, he nodded at Alzack, his mood a lot better than it had been before. "Thanks for watching it for me." He grabbed his shoes, slipping them on.

"It's fine," Alzack said, helping a small kid remove their shoes. Once finished, he looked up at Natsu and Lucy, offering them a grin. "If you want, I can stay here while you go get some food."

Natsu's jaw went slack, but he tried not to show how surprised he was. "Really?" He didn't expect the NCO to cover for him, but he would be lying if he said he wasn't tempted. He was hungry, and sitting down sounded like a good idea, especially if that meant he got more time to talk to Lucy without anyone else around.

Alzack nodded as he glanced over at his wife and daughter, the two headed back that way. "It's no trouble. Besides, I'm sure Asuka's gonna wanna play on this some more. Go, eat."

"Thank you!" Natsu took a step back, ready to bolt towards the food. "I'll be back soon!"

"Take your time," he said, waving the couple off. "Seriously."

Nodding, Natsu turned to head in the opposite direction. He didn't hesitate to grab Lucy's hand, tugging her along so they could relax.

* * *

Natsu groaned as he savored the last bite of his burger. He knew it was just his hunger talking, but that had to be some of the best food he had in awhile. Then again, he had been eating a lot of cup noodles and microwave meals lately since the chow hall was closed while he was at work, and when it was open he was usually asleep.

"I'm guessing you liked it?" Lucy asked, sliding half of her burger towards him. "Do you want it? I can't eat another bite."

Natsu didn't think twice as he accepted it, not caring about germs. After some of the things they did to each other in the bed, Natsu wasn't worried about sharing food. He scarfed it down, placing their paper plates together before resting his hand on the edge, not wanting them to blow away. After finishing off his drink, he was ready to go back to his task.

Before he could open his mouth to tell Lucy he had to go back, she placed a hand over his. "Let's go away this weekend."

If Natsu still had food in his mouth, he would have choked on it. He didn't expect her to say that, confusion coloring his face as he asked, "What? Are you serious?"

She didn't seem offended by his question, instead smiling as she said, "Yeah. I found a cute little bed and breakfast in Hargeon." Lucy paused, gently tracing her fingers against the back of his hand. "We could leave tonight and be back by Sunday afternoon... If you wanted to go."

Natsu blinked, unsure what to think. Lucy had never suggested they go away before, even for one night. Now she was talking about spending at least two nights together in a different city, something he never thought would happen. "H-how far away is it?"

"It's a little over one hundred miles away," she said, giving him a little relief.

If he wasn't on liberty or leave, he was restricted to how many miles away from the base he could go during the weekend. That number was two-hundred and fifty, and Lucy must have known that, picking a place within that limitation.

Now that he didn't have to worry about getting in trouble for the distance, Natsu thought about what it would be like to go away with Lucy. They had taken naps together when she came over a few times, but that and getting a room together were two different things. He hadn't thought they were in that place in their relationship for trips out of town, but he would be lying if he said he wasn't thrilled.

"You sure you wanna do that?" he asked, needing her to be comfortable with the idea. He didn't want to risk their relationship by going too fast. Hell, they had been together for six months and they still hadn't had sex yet, not that he was complaining. They did plenty of other things that kept them both sated.

Lucy didn't hesitate to nod, a soft blush surfacing on her face as she bit her bottom lip. "Absolutely. I think it'd be fun."

Natsu gave her a coy smile, leaning against the picnic table at the woman sitting across from him. "Does this have anything to do with us binge watching 'Hotel Hell'?" For the past few weeks they had been watching as many episodes as they could when they were together. He never imagined it would put the idea in Lucy's head to get a room with him.

"Maybe," Lucy laughed, the tone of her voice letting him know he was right. She brushed her hair out of her face, before shrugging. "I did my research on this one. It has amazing reviews."

"Well that's good," he snickered, hoping they wouldn't end up in a hotel like the ones they had seen on the show.

Natsu took a deep breath, thinking it over. It didn't take long, the idea of being alone with Lucy for the weekend making the decision easy. He nodded, already wondering when he could leave the family day so they could hit the road. Even his motion sickness wasn't enough to discourage him from the trip.

"Okay, yeah." He felt at ease when he saw her smile, loving the way she brightened his life. "Let's do it!"

"Great!" Lucy stood, grabbing her phone before flashing the device at him. "I'll call and book us a room." She started turning, only to stop halfway through before giving him a cautious glance. "Are... are you okay with sharing a bed?"

Despite the answer popping into Natsu's head immediately, he couldn't help but be a little nervous. They were taking a big step in their relationship, but his excitement outweighed everything else. He swallowed before nodding, watching as her eyes lit up. "Yeah."

Lucy's lower lip caught between her teeth as she turned, pressing the buttons on her phone to call the place. Natsu sucked in a shaky breath, his heart racing as he thought about the adventure they were going to have.

He didn't have time to worry about what other people would think, especially not Lucy's overbearing father. Natsu only thought of holding Lucy close at night, but he would quickly find out Lucy had more in mind than just cuddling.

* * *

"Oh fuck!  _Yes!_ "

Lucy threw her head back, pleasure streaming through her system. Natsu growled in appreciation for the delectable taste flooding his mouth. No matter how many times he tasted her arousal, he couldn't get enough of it. His mouth pressed against her core, his greedy tongue running over her bundle of nerves and wet folds. He needed more, his fingers digging into her ass while he pulled her closer.

Lucy couldn't get any closer without suffocating him, but he wasn't so sure he would mind going out like that. Everything about her was insatiable, and he hadn't even had her touch yet. His cock throbbed in need, leaking pre-cum as it yearned for any stimulation.

He didn't pay his wants any mind, too busy lapping up the sweet juices flowing from his girlfriend, her thighs squeezing his head as she rode his face. She rocked her hip, dragging her pussy against his eager tongue and lips. He moaned at her taste, positive he could finish by eating her alone.

However, Lucy was a generous person who wanted to please her boyfriend. She leaned back, one hand resting beside him while the other wrapped around his cock, giving him a light stroke. It was enough to make Natsu shudder, but she wasn't done with him yet.

" _Fuuuuuck!_ " she moaned, quickening her pumps. She tightened her fist, feeling the velvety smooth skin soaked in his own pre-cum. She focused on the head for a few strokes before making them long and slow, letting him savor the sensation.

Lucy's back arched when Natsu sucked on her clit, his gratitude for her attention noted. She panted, sweat beading on her forehead as her hips jerked. She hadn't expected to finish again, but Natsu was determined to get her to crumble by his touches. Her body shook as she tried to fight it, letting it build until she couldn't take it anymore.

"Oh god!  _Natsuuuuu!_ "

Heat and pleasure flooded her body. She couldn't stop herself from pressing into his mouth, needing everything he could offer. Her mouth watered and her eyes closed, enjoying the pure bliss that took over as she rode out her orgasm. She had lost count of how many he gave her that night, but she knew they were far from done.

After family day and the drive to Hargeon, the couple had finally checked into their room. The bed had clean, crisp sheets on it, but Lucy intended on getting them dirty, throwing Natsu onto the bed the moment she heard the door close behind them. Since then, they had been tangled up in each other, but if she was honest, she was getting the better deal out of the two.

He had given her so much affection and attention, she had almost forgotten her own name a few times. It was hard to forget, Natsu's voice rough and low as he moaned her name throughout the night. Every time she thought she was prepared for the next time, but she always whimpered at the sound, her body tightening by the notion that he wanted her that badly.

Sure, Lucy knew she was an attractive woman, but Natsu made her feel like so much more than that. He spent time getting to know her, building a solid friendship before he asked her out. She was unsure about dating a Marine at first, but just like Natsu could see past her beauty, she could see past his uniform to the true man he was.

Kind, sweet, and downright funny. She found herself smitten with him quickly, but she remained in control for the most part, insisting they got to know each other first. She didn't want to date just anyone, but Natsu had shown he definitely wasn't just anyone.

"Na- _Naaaatsssuuuu!_ "

"Damn," Natsu mumbled against Lucy's core, tongue diving into her. Her taste was intoxicating, threatening to shut down his mind as he let it consume him. He growled when she pulled away, not ready to part with her yet.

Natsu blinked through his hazy eyes, watching as Lucy shifted on the bed. His breath caught when she turned, pressing herself against his face once more, only this time in the opposite direction. He didn't have to ask why she moved, her mouth and tongue giving him all the explanation he needed when she pushed his cock past her waiting lips.

" _Fuck!_ "

Lucy gave his cock a slow and deliberate suck before releasing him with a pop. "You like that?" she asked, not waiting for his answer before she took him into her mouth again, hollowing her cheeks as her tongue ran along the sides of his cock.

" _Yes!_ " Natsu clenched his teeth, body tensing as he let the pleasure flood his system. "Feels fucking amazing!" He licked her, wanting to show her just how much he enjoyed it. He roughly sucked on her folds while he put his hands on her waist, tracing upwards until he found her breasts. Natsu grinned when he heard her moan, his fingers teasing her erect nipples, wishing his fingers were a little wet to really please her.

A wild idea popped into his head, and Natsu couldn't be bothered to shake it loose. He brought a hand to his cock, surprising Lucy as he pushed a finger into her mouth as she came down on him. Her shock didn't last long, Lucy sucking on his finger along with his thickness, coating the digit in her saliva and what remained of his pre-cum.

Once thoroughly wet, he found her nipple again, hearing just how much the difference made as she let out a prolonged whimper around his cock, the sound and sensation sending tremors through his body.

" _Fuck! Luuucy!_ " Natsu's toes curled as he tried holding out, not wanting their night to end just yet. He was lasting a lot longer than he had ever lasted before, and he knew it was because they worked their way up. The more foreplay they did, the better they would both feel.

Lucy heard Natsu's breathing turning ragged as he squeezed her breasts. She knew he was close, but she didn't want him to come just yet. Reluctantly, she pulled away from his cock, hearing his growl of disapproval when she denied him that sweet release.

What made Natsu equally frustrated was when Lucy climbed off him, leaving him wanting more of her. He licked his lips, savoring her taste as he leaned up on his elbows to watch her. He thought she was going to get into a different position to finish him off with her mouth, but he was wrong.

Lucy got off the bed before leaning over the edge, capturing Natsu's lips in a hungry kiss. He was caught off guard, whimpering when she thrust her tongue into his mouth. Her hand curled around his cock, giving him feather-like strokes, much too light to get him off. He wanted more, but instead of asking, he allowed her to dominate him.

If it was for Lucy, he didn't mind giving up control.

Natsu found himself chasing her lips when she pulled away, wanting to continue sharing her delicious flavor with her. He had no doubts she liked tasting herself. If having seen her do it multiple times hadn't been enough, her explicitly telling him she enjoyed it would have done the trick. Lucy was unlike anyone he had ever met before, so bold yet coy at the same time. She liked to play innocent, but she could be a real minx behind closed doors.

"I thought we could try something new," Lucy said, hovering over his chest before dragging her tongue against his flushed skin. He groaned, unable to stop his hand from tangling in her hair. He loved when it was down, the golden locks accentuating her beauty.

"What's that?" he asked, voice more breathless than he intended. He let out a heady moan when her lips wrapped around his nipple, the tip of her tongue prodding him before she gave him a soft suck. He craved any touch she was willing to give, his addiction growing stronger.

" _Nnhh!_ " Natsu's eyes slid shut as he felt her tongue wander, hoping she would go more south. However, Lucy left wet, open-mouthed kisses and soft bites up towards his neck before finally standing, leaving Natsu a moaning mess as he struggled to figure out what she wanted to do.

"You're so sexy," she moaned, hand splayed against his abdominal muscles, her eyes raking over his body. "I'm a lucky woman."

Natsu didn't comment, thinking he was the lucky one in their relationship. Lucy was like a breath of fresh air whenever he saw her. She made his world brighter, and he was grateful she decided to give him a chance. He didn't want her regretting her decision, trying to be the best boyfriend and friend he could be to her.

Not only did she deserve it, it was the respectful thing to do.

Lucy gnawed on her lower lip, catching every shred of Natsu's attention. He almost missed what she said, too busy wondering when he would get to taste her lips again.

"I'm ready."

Natsu blinked, needing a few seconds to process what she said. His mind was hazy by lust and need, unsure what she meant until she squeezed his cock. He hadn't even considered them having sex on their trip.

He had it in his mind it would take longer before they were both ready for that next step, but admittedly, he was ready a while back. He was just waiting until she felt comfortable with it too, not wanting to say anything in fear of pressuring her into something she didn't want to do.

"Are you sure?" he asked, clearing his throat to rid himself of the airy tone he took on. He wanted her to be absolutely sure, otherwise he didn't want to do it at all. "I'm okay with waiting."

Lucy let go of his cock, sitting on the edge of the bed while she kept her hand on his chest, over his heart to feel the rapid beats. "Are you not ready?"

"I'm ready," he assured, touching her arm before rubbing upwards towards her shoulder. Natsu didn't understand how someone so delicate could be so strong. She impressed him, and he hadn't kept that observation to himself, letting her know multiple times over the course of their relationship. "But are you?"

Lucy nodded, taking a deep breath. "Yeah. I've actually been ready for a while now."

Natsu's jaw went slack, surprised by the news. "Really?"

She gave him a sheepish grin, her features tinting red as she failed to fight off a blush. "For about a month."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Natsu asked, thinking of the times they had been intimate in the last month. She never hinted she wanted more, or if she had, he hadn't picked up on it.

"I was waiting," she said, fingers curling against his chest before she pulled away and walked towards her bag.

Natsu was momentarily distracted by her firm backside, admiring the sway in her step as his cock throbbed, reminding him he might be holding onto her curves as he buried himself inside her body very soon.

The thought was enough to make him let out a shaky breath.

Lucy unzipped a side pocket on her bag before pulling out a container Natsu immediately recognized. It was circular and small, the perfect size to carry some birth control pills.

"I had to wait to see a doctor to get a prescription, then I had to wait until they were effective."

"How long does it take?" he asked, not having much knowledge in how they worked aside from she had to take them once a day.

"A week, but I've been on them for two weeks just in case."

Natsu nodded, nervously chuckling as he scratched his cheek. "Yeah, I can see that." He wasn't ready to have a kid, and he doubted Lucy was either. They were still getting to know each other. They had a long way to go before they were ready for that type of responsibility.

"So you're really okay with this?" Natsu asked, sitting up. He ignored the light feeling in his head in favor of reaching out towards his lovely girlfriend. "I promise I'll be okay either way." He had a thought in his head, but decided it would be better if he shared it with her. "Even if we've already started, I'm fine with stopping. I just gotta know what you want. Okay?"

Lucy nodded, closing the distance between them. She cupped his cheek, leaning in to give him a soft, reaffirming kiss. Natsu parted his lips when he felt her tongue, breathing in her sweet scent as she explored his mouth, taking her time with every stroke of her tongue. Natsu moaned, eyes sliding shut as she maneuvered herself on top of him, never letting their lips break for more than a second or two.

His blood boiled when she reached between them, grasping his cock before running the head along her entrance. She was soft and wet, her arousal leaking onto his throbbing member. He sucked in a deep breath when she positioned him over her opening, letting him stay there for a moment before she started lowering her body on him.

Natsu held his breath as he felt her walls taking him in, his cock stretching her as she slowly sank. He groaned as her wet heat consumed him, his fingers clutching her waist and thigh as he entered her. It was agonizingly slow, but it was worth it when he felt her straddling him, every inch he could offer resting inside her soaked pussy.

Natsu had to end the kiss to let out a moan, feeling Lucy's walls squeezing him as she adjusted her footing. She didn't take offense when he tipped his head back, instead using the opportunity to press her mouth to his neck. Natsu felt himself falling backwards on the bed, Lucy following after him. She shifted a little in the process, giving Natsu a small glimpse into what it would feel like with Lucy moving on top of him.

He already loved it, especially when Lucy's walls massaged him. He didn't have an expansive sexual history. It was all awkward teenage sex that didn't last long and didn't hold much meaning. Natsu was already okay with waiting for Lucy when it came to sex, but now he was ecstatic they waited.

As messed up as it was to say, he didn't think he would've appreciated this moment nearly as much if they had jumped into bed without getting to know each other first. He had gotten to know Lucy on a personal and emotional level, making their moments more significant than anything he had before.

He was also happy their first time wasn't at her parent's house or in his barracks room. Their cozy room in the middle of nowhere felt more meaningful, making the moment special. Then again, Natsu knew the place didn't make the moment special. It was their connection, two bodies joining in one of the most intimate ways they could be.

"You feel incredible," Natsu whispered, panting as Lucy's lips moved up and down his neck, letting them get used to the feeling of him being inside her. He appreciated it, needing a moment to collect himself, otherwise he was going to burst soon. He was a healthy young man, but he didn't have the best stamina in the world. With little practice, he didn't know a lot of tips and tricks to last long, but luckily for him, Lucy had done more research than he could have possibly imagined.

Natsu wondered if she did all her research for personal use, or because she wrote erotica - _that she wouldn't let him read_ \- in her spare time. He didn't mind either way, eager to learn whatever she had to teach him. If it made them both feel good, he was down for anything.

" _Fuck!_ " Natsu moaned when Lucy started moving, her walls dragging against his cock as she lifted herself up, only for the amazing feeling to intensify when she went back down. He swallowed thickly, lips parted as he let her know just how much he liked what she was doing. "God  _yes!_ "

Lucy smiled against Natsu's throat, happy she was able to please him already. She was in the same boat, struggling to hold back her own moans as she slowly rode Natsu's thick, throbbing member. She trailed her lips towards his ear, her voice broken as she moaned, "It feels so good having you inside me!"

Natsu felt heat swarming his body. He gripped her tighter before running his hands up and down her body, not having any particular plan in mind. He just needed to feel her, in any way he could. " _Lucy_ ," he whispered, unable to say anything else as she gently increased the speed, only to slow down again.

Natsu didn't know if he was frustrated that she kept switching it up, or appreciative. Every time he felt himself getting close to finishing, Lucy would slow down once again. It was as if she was able to read his mind, or perhaps she was picking up something with his breathing or moaning. Natsu couldn't be bothered to debate it, too busy enjoying the way Lucy bounced on his cock, her womanly moans and his soft growls filling the room.

Natsu gripped her hips, breasts, shoulders, and ass. He wanted to explore every inch of her, committing every second to memory. He let out a pathetic whimper when she leaned back, removing her lips from his skin. However, the loss of contact was worth it. She looked like a goddess as she moved on top of him, her skin flushed as he ran his hands over her, groping at whatever he thought would make her moan again. He found more erogenous zones for her than he could count, never spending too much time on one before he was switching to another.

Lucy seemed to like the way he kept moving, her moans changing while the space between them started lessening. Soon she was a moaning mess, leaning in so she could rest her hands against the bed while she rocked her hips, fucking him over and over again with increased speed.

"Fuck!  _Luuu_ —  _Oh fuck!_  I think I'm gonna—  _gonna_ —"

Before Natsu could feel that rush of pleasure from his climax, Lucy stopped moving, his cock sticking halfway inside her. He panted, struggling to catch his breath as he tried figuring out what happened. He needed his release, his body pulsing with a need that wasn't being met. He didn't ask her what she was doing, too busy swallowing to clear his throat while also trying to regain control over himself. The urge to buck up was intense, but he resisted, trying to see what Lucy's goal was.

Only when Lucy was sure he wouldn't come did she lift herself off his cock. She didn't miss the soft groan as his cock slapped against himself when it was out, but she ignored it in favor of what she had planned next. She shifted off him, keeping his gaze as she leaned in towards his dripping cock.

"Oh shit!" Natsu growled when Lucy covered his cock with her mouth, lapping up her juices while her hands massaged his stomach and balls. He couldn't keep up with her, unable to predict what she was going to do next. It was both infuriating and exciting, his blood burning as she ran her tongue up and down his cock before she pulled up, letting her saliva leak onto the head. " _Damn!_ "

Everything she did drove him crazy, and they weren't finished yet. He didn't know what she wanted to do, but if he was going to continue feeling the incredible high without an orgasm, Natsu was willing to follow her lead.

It was a good thing, considering Lucy's next idea confused him a bit. "Get off the bed," she said, mouth and hands leaving his aching body.

"What?" he asked, blinking as he rose to his elbows. He didn't understand, but instead of giving him any explanation, she only repeated herself.

"Get off the bed."

Natsu pushed down the new ache that started to rise. It was unlike the need he felt, this one making his heart drop. Had he done something wrong? Was she regretting her decision to have sex with him? He had told her she could stop halfway through and he would be okay with that, and he wasn't going to go back on his word now. Lucy deserved respect, and he never wanted her to feel pressured into doing something she didn't want to do.

"Okay," he whispered, accepting they were done having sex. He hoped she would at least explain why they stopped later after they had a moment to collect themselves, but before any of that could happen, he crawled off the bed.

Natsu thought Lucy was going to get up too, but she didn't, instead scooting to the edge of the bed so her ass hung off by a few inches. She spread her legs, giving him an incredible view of her pussy. Her skin looked so delicate, a glistening pink made wet by her arousal. He wondered if his pre-cum was inside her, the thought alone keeping his cock rock hard. He felt the dull throbs in his length, but he didn't dare touch her, unsure where she was going yet again.

"On your knees," she demanded, hands resting over her breasts with her nipples caught between her fingers.

He stared at her for a few cautious seconds, hesitantly doing as he was instructed. He got down on his knees, trying to ignore the fact that he was directly in front of her womanhood. He wanted to run his tongue and lips over her wet folds, but he stayed still, curious and a little nervous for what was going to happen.

Lucy squirmed a little, adjusting herself before she nodded, looking down at him to meet his fierce eyes. "Eat me."

Natsu didn't need her to tell him twice. He delved in, tongue thrusting into her core as his lips pressed against her wet skin. He sampled her flavor, noting the subtle differences after they started fucking. Her taste sent shivers down his spine as he lapped up her juices, groaning in pleasure as he made his way up. His lips wrapped around her clit, giving it a slow lick before he sped up, flickering it with everything he had.

"Oh fuck  _yesss!_ " Lucy kneaded her supple breasts while Natsu ate her out like a starved man. Her hips jerked as her thighs trembled, feeling herself getting closer to the edge. She had needed this. They both had. Not only was it a good way for Lucy to get off, it gave Natsu a break.

She didn't expect him to last hours in bed their first time, so she had planned what she wanted to do with him beforehand, hoping he was willing to go along with said plan. So far he had been compliant, which was good considering Lucy was on her way to another fantastic orgasm and Natsu would get his own release soon enough.

" _Yes!_ Oh god  _Natsuuu!_  F-faster!"

Natsu didn't think it was humanly possible to go faster, but he tried, tongue relentless as he played with her bundle of nerves, engorged from her desire and need. He pushed a finger into her sopping pussy, feeling her tightening around it as she started panting. It wouldn't be long until he had her in the palm of his hand, so he kept it up, not wanting to give up despite the ache in his jaw and the angry throb in his cock.

" _That!_  Oh fuck please don't stop doing that!"

Natsu obeyed, feeling her walls quivering around his finger as she approached her end. She wrapped her legs around his shoulders, pulling him impossibly closer to her core. Her breathing turned ragged as she started whimpering, telling him she was almost there.

Her orgasm hit her faster than she expected, Lucy's body growing stiff as Natsu continued licking her, only slower so he could drag it out instead of building her up again. He tried ignoring the disappointment he felt when he realized he could get Lucy off with his hands and mouth, but he had been unsuccessful when it came to getting her off by sex. No matter how many times he told himself it was okay, that he shouldn't expect himself to be that good their first time, he still felt like he was missing out on something.

Lucy didn't seem to mind, her mind fuzzy as pleasure swarmed her body, her nerves on fire in the best way. She wiggled in his hold, soaking in everything he was giving her and then some, her fingers dragging against her nipples to give her an extra dose of pleasure.

A lazy smile surfaced on her face as she gently nudged Natsu's face away from her core, her legs weak as she tried untangling them from him. She didn't know when she crossed her ankles behind him, but he had to help her right herself, otherwise she was going to melt into a puddle of ecstasy.

"Come here," she mumbled, beckoning him closer.

He stood, surprised when Lucy grabbed his cock, guiding him to her opening. He said nothing as she wrapped her legs around his hips, pulling him in while making sure he entered her body. A heady moan tore from his throat as he felt her gentle stretch again, his cock filling her up.

Lucy was hotter than before, and much more wet. He wondered what it would feel like to have her coming around his cock, but he pushed the thought aside, instead deciding to push into Lucy, feeling the change the position had compared to the first one.

"Oh fucking hell," he muttered, feeling the beads of sweat rolling down his back. He took a step closer to her, grabbing her thighs as he pulled out, only to thrust back in. " _Damn!_ "

Lucy was on the same page, moaning as he fucked her on the edge of the bed. She could feel the raw strength in his arms as he hoisted her up an inch, but she wanted more. Reaching out, Lucy grabbed Natsu's shoulders, making him lean forward.

Natsu immediately felt the difference, his thrusts that much deeper at the new angle. He knew Lucy felt it too, her moans turning less ladylike as he started pumping into her at a slow pace. He always thought fast and hard was the way to go, but Lucy was showing him it was good to take his time. Not only did he last longer, he got to really enjoy her body and sounds, but her expressions had to be his favorite.

Sweat glistened on her forehead where her bangs weren't clinging to her skin. Her cheeks were flushed, her lips parted as moan after moan tumbled from that delectable mouth. Her eyes were hazy, filled with lust and desire. He pushed a little harder, making her eyes screw shut as she let out a moan tear from her throat.

" _Natsuuu!_ "

He did it again, watching in fascination as her body jerked. Looking down, Natsu saw where their bodies joined. He kept his gaze there, just watching himself fuck her tight, dripping core. One of his hands found her clit, giving it a soft prod before he started rubbing it, slowly increasing the speed.

When she moaned his name again, he couldn't help but blurt out, "I love the way your pussy grips my cock!"

Lucy whimpered, her walls tightening around him, rewarding him for his lewd words. He continued moving in and out of her, enjoying the mouthwatering strokes as the pleasure built inside him, radiating through his body. He knew it wouldn't be long before he was finished, but he couldn't bring himself to be upset about it. He had already lasted longer than he thought he would, and the small break to lick Lucy's pussy only made the experience that more memorable.

" _Natsu!_  I—  _Nnggh!_ " Lucy's back arched as her toes curled, her fingers digging into his arms as she felt herself surrendering to the pleasure. Her walls fluttered around Natsu, gripping and squeezing as her head tipped back. She didn't stop herself from moaning, liquid fire burning through her body as she came.

For Natsu, the experience was just as incredible. He felt her walls massaging him, coaxing him to his own release. He couldn't stop himself, a strangled moan spilling from his lips as he met his end, spilling everything he had into Lucy's trembling pussy. His cock twitched as he stilled inside her, making sure he emptied himself.

"Oh my fucking god that feels so  _fucking good!_ "

He had never come inside someone before, always using condoms in the past. He couldn't describe the overwhelming rush he got from the feeling, but he knew one thing, he felt closer to Lucy than he had ever felt before.

Natsu leaned in, planting his lips on hers. The kiss was messy, neither coordinated as their lips and tongues moved against each other. He just needed to feel her, to breath her in. He gave her a few more shorts strokes, feeling the sticky mess he left behind. An apology was on the tip of his tongue, but only soft groans came out, but Lucy swallowed them eagerly.

He was glad they waited to have sex. The first time was better than he ever imagined. He considered himself a lucky man, happy he was with such an amazing woman.

Natsu didn't know how long they stayed like that, tangled up in each other. His body was aching in a new way when he finally pulled away, his legs wobbly and his head light. He stumbled backwards a few steps, regaining his composure enough to help Lucy get up. They made their way to the bathroom, Natsu ready to rinse himself off in the sink.

However, Lucy had other plans.

She pushed the shower curtain aside, stepping into the tub. Glancing over her shoulder, she batted her eyes, her cheeks still rosy as she asked, "Do you... want to join me?"

Natsu grinned when he saw her blush darkening, her innocent demeanor coming out again. He enjoyed both sides of Lucy, the wild, dominating one in bed, and the shy, coy woman who left him craving more.

He nodded, stepping closer to follow after her.

 _'Yeah,'_  he thought, ready for the next adventure with Lucy.  _'I'm a lucky man."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I posted this chapter, my ex-husband was about to get out of the Marine Corps. We moved to our hometown, and lived there for a little over 7 months before we decided to get a divorce. 
> 
> Not going to lie, I usually hated going to mandatory have funs, usually known as 'family day'. I avoided going to any for the past two years he was in because they're not that fun. The only time I've had a little bit of fun was when I actually knew the people my ex-husband worked with, but he got transferred so much I usually didn't get to know anyone, and his last unit he was with was terrible. We avoided as many functions as we could, including military balls. Some can be fun, but it really depends on the people around you.
> 
> Anyways, if you liked the chapter, I'd love to know! Let me know your thoughts on it! Do you like how their relationship is progressing? Was their first time okay? I wanted to write it realistically, and not all guys can last forever their first time. I would think that's pretty rare, but who knows? Please tell me your thoughts! I love hearing from you!
> 
> Thank you for all the kudos, hits, and comments! 
> 
> Up next, Chapter Six: Cutting Score
> 
> *Cutting Score- The score you need to get promoted.


	6. Cutting Score

**Chapter Six: Cutting Score**

Natsu clenched his teeth when he saw the cutting score still hadn't been updated yet. Laying his head down on his pillow, Natsu took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. He knew there was a good chance he was getting picked up soon. His composite score was only a few points away from picking up last month, but this month he was hopeful the cutting score dropped a bit. All he needed was for it to go down by five points, then he would get promoted to Corporal.

That was, if no one interfered.

He hadn't voiced his concern to anyone, but he worried his Lieutenant Colonel would find a way to mess it up. It had been a while since Jude did something to Natsu, but that only made him more tense, thinking the man was going to strike when he least expected it.

He had been in the Marine Corps for a little over two years now, so it was time for him to move up in rank. He hadn't gotten in any real trouble since joining, and he got great pros and cons, as well as did exceptionally well when it came to the fitness tests. Natsu didn't like to brag - _much_ , but he was an outstanding Marine, and he felt like he deserved to be promoted.

Not only would it come with a boost in responsibilities and pay, it would make him somewhat even with Gray, who was also a Corporal. Of course, his roommate told him plenty of times that even if Natsu managed to get promoted, Gray would still be the 'senior Corporal'.

Considering Natsu was too antsy to fight back, he let Gray have that one.

Natsu perked up when he heard the door opening. He sat up just as Gray entered the room, tossing him a bag of fast food before plopping down in one of the chairs. "Thanks," Natsu said, digging into his bag to find his burrito.

"Don't mention it."

While the two ate, Gray turned on the TV and found a stand-up comedian they could watch. Throughout the show, Natsu kept checking his phone, frowning every time he saw the cutting scores hadn't been released yet. He knew it was only going to drive him crazy checking it so much, but he knew it could update at any time.

He got a break from his phone when they started playing video games, Natsu's attention shifting as Gray set up. "Whatcha wanna play?" Gray asked, grabbed the CD wallet with his games in it.

Natsu shrugged, grabbing the other chair so he could get closer to the TV. "Whatever's cool with me."

Nodding, Gray picked a 'Call of Duty' game. They played co-op, choosing to stay away from online multiplayer for a while. They picked up where they left off last time, both storming the trenches to overrun the enemy. In no time Natsu was having fun, but even shooting the enemies wasn't enough to keep his mind from wandering.

After a while, Natsu glanced at his phone, the urge to check it rising. He let his eyes flit to the device a few more times, thinking he was being sneaky, but Gray eventually caught on. He chuckled, raising a brow. "You expecting a call from Lucy or something?"

Natsu shook his head, knowing Lucy was out of town at a concert with some of her friends. She had invited him, but the type of bands playing didn't interest him enough to make the long drive. Not only that, it was the beginning of the week. He didn't want to risk getting in trouble if he couldn't make it back to base on time for work tomorrow should something happen.

"Nah. Wondering when the cutting score's gonna update."

Gray snorted, eyes trained on the TV as he took out the enemies charging towards him. "Don't worry about it. I'm sure you're gonna get promoted soon."

Natsu wished he was that confident, but his stomach flopped at the thought of what could stand in his way. "I wouldn't be so worried if Jude wasn't such a dick."

Gray raised a brow, an amused grin spreading on his face. "First name basis?" he joked, earning a laugh from Natsu.

"Not with him. Don't tell him I called him that either. I'm sure he'd try skinning me alive if he found out."

Even if Jude tried hurting Natsu, he was sure Lucy would be there to hold her father back. He didn't know if she was the reason Jude had laid off him lately, but he hoped it wasn't a temporary thing. He didn't like being paranoid, wondering when his Battalion Commander was going to 'strike' next.

Marines were supposed to rely on each other, not worry if their higher ups were trying to bring them down.

"Chill," Gray started, leaning back in his seat. "He hasn't fucked with you in a while. I'm sure he's given up."

"I hope so," Natsu whispered, eyes falling to his lap for a moment before he remembered he was playing a game.

Gray didn't notice Natsu's lack of concentration, instead trying to lift his friend's spirit. "I'm sure he just got bored with it. It's been what, a year since you and Lucy started dating?"

It was a little less than that, but Natsu still nodded. They started dating in November, and it was now towards the end of October.

"Speaking of which, when are you gonna buy your ball tickets?" Gray asked, pausing the game when they reached their next checkpoint. He grabbed a drink from the mini fridge, offering Natsu one before sitting back down.

Natsu smiled, thinking about how he asked Lucy to this year's ball. He hadn't been as nervous as he was the first time, knowing she was going to say yes. "I already bought mine yesterday."

He was looking forward to the ball, but he knew he would be happier if he got to put some Corporal chevrons on his jacket instead of his Lance Corporal ones. He liked his Lance Corporal rank, but he had outgrown it, ready to take on the next step. He just needed to know if he would be getting promoted soon.

_'When the hell's the cutting score gonna update?'_

There was never a specific day it posted. It was somewhere around the twentieth of the month, but it was already the twenty-second and it was still showing last month's score.

Distracting himself, Natsu asked, "Did ya ask Juvia out yet?"

Gray shook his head, not bothering to hide his grin. "Nope. Didn't have to. She asked me out."

Natsu furrowed his brows, unable to ask the question before Gray laughed. "I've never heard of a girl asking a Marine to his own ball, but she did it." He shrugged, taking another gulp of his drink before resuming their game. "I said yes."

"Juvia's definitely an interesting one," Natsu murmured, wishing he had seen that unfold.

It wasn't long until the ball was forgotten, replaced by their strategy for getting through the next part of the campaign. Natsu was almost too focused to hear his phone vibrate, but the soft buzz registered in the back of his head until he found a good place to take a break.

While Natsu's character hid behind a tree, he reached for his phone, eyes growing wide when he saw the message he received from Rogue about the cutting score. He dropped the controller in his lap before fumbling with his device, his excitement making his movements clumsy as he tried loading the website with the scores.

"What the hell?!" Gray yelled when he noticed Natsu wasn't playing anymore, leaving him alone to defend himself. "You couldn't've paused first?" Their characters died when the enemy swarmed them, causing them to restart at their last saved point. Gray paused as soon as the game loaded, then shot Natsu a glare. "What are you doing?"

"Holy shit," Natsu whispered, staring at his phone. That only riled Gray up, repeating himself before Natsu turned to face him. He held up his phone, a large grin consuming his face as he said, "I have the score."

Gray held onto his frustration for a few seconds before registering what Natsu said. He blinked, eyes focusing on the screen as he read the cutting score for November. It had dropped by eighteen points since last month, making Natsu's composite score well above what he needed to get promoted.

Slowly, a smile tugged at his lips as he nodded. "Awesome." Gray ruffled what little hair Natsu had on his head before pulling back. "Now you just gotta find out if you're getting selected to pick up. Good luck."

Natsu took a deep breath, nodding as he looked at his phone again. He felt more confident than he had been in a while, knowing he had to be doing something right for things to go so well.

He almost feared something bad would happen just to knock him down a peg, but that wasn't enough to ruin his good mood. "Yeah," he breathed, feeling like he could take on anything. "I got this."

* * *

"Can you pass the corn, Natsu?"

Natsu jolted out of his thoughts, needing a second before realizing what Layla had asked him. He cleared his throat, whispering, "Yes," as he grabbed the bowl of corn to hand to Lucy's mother.

"Thank you," she said with a smile, scooping more onto her plate.

Natsu looked down at his plate before continuing to eat. He had been stuck in his head a lot lately, wondering if he was going to be promoted or not. Four days had passed since the cutting score came out, and to take his mind off it, Lucy suggested one of the last things he wanted to do.

Dinner with her parents.

Fortunately for Natsu, her father wasn't there. He bailed on the dinner at the last minute, saying he had business to attend to on base. Natsu didn't mind that one bit, knowing it would be uncomfortable if the two were together anyway. They hadn't spoken much since they first met, and Natsu wanted to keep it that way.

If Jude wasn't around, Natsu didn't have to see the judgement in the man's eyes.

Besides, Natsu doubted it would go over well if anyone found out they had dinner together. Fraternization was tricky when it came to the military. Enlisted personnel and officers weren't supposed to be having dinner at each other's houses. Natsu definitely wasn't supposed to break bread with his Battalion Commander, so it was better that Jude 'had to work'.

At the same time, it made sense for a father to get to know the man who was dating his daughter, but Natsu didn't mind putting that off for as long as possible. He didn't need Jude's approval when it came to Lucy. He just needed hers.

"So, Lucy says you might get promoted soon?" Layla said, though her tone made it sound more like a question.

Natsu choked on his food for a moment before clearing his airway, heat flooding his cheeks as embarrassment set in. He stole a glance at Lucy, seeing her look just as surprised as him. Before he could respond, Lucy spoke up.

"Mom, remember I said not to bring that up?" She forced a smile, reaching over to place a hand on Natsu's arm, the gesture both comforting and slightly embarrassing. He didn't need to be consoled by Lucy, but at the same time, he welcomed it.

Layla's eyes went wide before she looked over at her daughter. "Oh, right." She turned towards Natsu, her voice soft as she apologized.

Natsu shook his head, not wanting either woman to feel the need to walk on eggshells. He cupped the back of his neck, offering Layla a grin. "It's cool. I'm just kinda nervous... is all." Last time he was up for promotion, it was a guarantee he would get it. That one was determined by time in service/rank, but this promotion had more factors to it.

To become an NCO, he had to go on an NCO Promotion Board, which was a fancy way of saying he got an interview by his staff NCO's and officers. The highest ranking person there was a Captain, while the lowest was a Staff Sergeant. He was asked a series of questions, all feeling more like a test than anything else. They tried gauging his maturity level, while also seeing if he was good at problem solving. They asked questions to see if he would make a good NCO.

That process had taken about ten minutes, but that only made Natsu more nervous. Was ten minutes long enough to determine if he was ready or not? He hoped they looked at the rest of his time in the Marines Corps instead of basing everything on that short conversation.

He was put on the board a few weeks ago when he didn't make the cutting score last time. Apparently he was close enough for them to get him prepared, which would save time in the future if he were to get selected this next time.

The urge to check his phone creeped up on him, but Natsu pushed it down. He wanted to see if there were any changes, but so far no one in his rank and MOS had gotten selected yet, which meant he still had a chance. Another thing keeping him from checking his phone was he didn't want to be rude to Lucy or Layla.

"This chicken's amazing," Natsu said, changing the subject as he took another piece into his mouth, savoring the flavor.

Layla's smile brightened a bit as she nodded. "Thank you. Lucy helped me make it." She looked at her daughter, giving her a not-so-subtle wink. "She's a great cook."

" _Mooooom_ ," Lucy whined, a flush spreading over her neck and chest from her mother's obvious attempt at talking her up. It wasn't necessary. Natsu already thought Lucy was amazing.

He only found himself grinning, happy one of Lucy's parents liked him. He couldn't say he was buddies with Layla, but the two got along better than he originally hoped.

Now if only he could get Jude to give him a chance too, then he'd be golden. While he didn't need Jude's approval to date Lucy, it would still be nice to not have an enemy out of him.

Dinner went on without any incidents, Natsu and Lucy taking turns talking as Layla directed the flow of conversation. They talked mostly about Lucy being close to her last year of college and what she wanted to do after she graduated. It reminded Natsu that Lucy was a year older than him, but that didn't bother him one bit.

The only thing that Natsu thought sucked about their age difference was Lucy was now twenty-one and could go into bars with her friends, but Natsu couldn't since he was only twenty. She didn't go out much, so he didn't feel like he was missing out. Besides, it wouldn't be long until he was twenty-one as well.

When they finished eating, Natsu thought that would be his cue to leave. Instead of Lucy and him heading towards the door, Layla asked if they wanted to watch a movie with her.

Seeing as they were having a good time, Natsu agreed, sitting on the couch with Lucy while Layla took a recliner, giving the couple their space. It wasn't long into the movie before Natsu started scooting closer to Lucy, coiling an arm around her to tuck her into his side. He relished in the feeling of her next to him, his heart beating a little faster as he soaked her in. She was warm and comfortable, and all his.

The movie Layla had chosen was a romantic comedy. It wasn't Natsu's favorite genre, but he didn't hate them. He found himself laughing a few times, his chest feeling light as he cuddled with Lucy. When the main characters in the movie confessed, Natsu thought of the first time he told Lucy he loved her.

The memory was fresh in his head. It had been two months ago when they attended a party Lucy's friend was throwing. It wasn't a romantic event, and the setting hadn't been perfect, but that didn't matter. Once Natsu felt it, he couldn't keep it to himself.

A smile curled over Natsu's lips as he remembered kissing her before brushing his cheek against hers as his lips found her ear. He remembered her shivering when his warm breath ghosted over her skin, but that wasn't what caused her breath to hitch. He swore his own heart stopped for a second when he whispered those three words that held so much meaning.

_"I love you."_

He hadn't expected her to say it back, but she did, and he couldn't deny how right everything felt in that moment. He was deeply in love with Lucy, and he never wanted that feeling to end.

Meeting Lucy was one of the best things to happen to Natsu since he joined the Marine Corps. Whenever he felt low, he reminded himself he had Lucy's support, and that helped tremendously. He didn't rely on her for everything, but it was nice knowing she was there and willing to help if he ever asked for it.

They had each other's backs, and that meant the world to him.

Natsu didn't want to move when the movie finished. He was beyond comfortable, Lucy's soft body resting in his arms. They had shifted a few more times during the movie, and each position brought them closer together, until she was resting on his chest with his arms wrapped around her.

Of course, he let her go when the credits started playing. Layla was cool, but he didn't want to make her uncomfortable by holding her daughter in front of her. However, Layla made it a point to not look at them as she took the DVD out of the player, speaking as she put it away. "Lucy, did you want Natsu to stay over?"

Natsu's eyes weren't the only ones to widen, Lucy looking equally shocked. She didn't bother asking Natsu, her voice strained as she said, "M-maybe another time."

Natsu was good with that answer, breathing a sign of relief. If Jude hated him before, he didn't want to imagine how he would feel if he knew Natsu stayed the night in his house. That would only complicate things further.

"Okay, just thought I'd offer." Layla left the room, a soft smile resting on her lips.

It didn't take a genius to figure out Layla was okay with their relationship. Natsu didn't want to brag, but he was a good boyfriend to Lucy. He wanted to be involved in her life, but not overbearing. They had their own social lives outside of their relationship, and he never once pressured her to do something she didn't want to do. As soon as she gave him any sign that she wasn't okay with something, he backed off without a second thought.

The Marine Corps hadn't taught Natsu everything he knew about how to treat others. His parents raised him right, teaching him how to respect people while also showing him how to be assertive. That assertiveness died down when it came to dealing to higher ups, but he would rather be walked over a little than get in trouble for being insubordinate.

Natsu checked his phone, seeing it was getting late. He sighed, resting his head on Lucy's shoulder as he relished in her warmth. "I should probably get going."

Lucy cupped his cheek, turning to give his forehead a kiss before nodding. "Probably. Let me say bye to my mom first, then we'll go."

Natsu couldn't help but keep his hands on her as she stood, earning a teasing grin from her as she shook his hands off. She glanced over her shoulder, seeing his fake pout as she left the room, leaving him by himself. Natsu used that opportunity to load MOL, but before he could sign in, he heard the front door's lock being messed with.

Natsu froze in his spot when the door opened, heavy footsteps following as the door was closed. Natsu didn't have to guess who it was, knowing Jude was the only one missing from the house that evening.

The footsteps sounded closer until they stopped, somewhere behind the couch where Natsu was sitting. He didn't know if he was supposed to turn around and acknowledge his Battalion Commander, or if it was better to pretend like he wasn't there.

Mustering up his courage, Natsu turned in his seat before standing, locking eyes with Jude despite his confidence waning. "Good evening, Sir."

Jude offered him a simple nod, shrugging off his jacket to place on the coat rack by the living room wall. Natsu didn't mention Jude's outfit, noticing he wasn't wearing any type of uniform. It didn't surprise him. He figured the officer wasn't actually working, instead using that as an excuse so he wouldn't have to spend time around the Lance Corporal.

Natsu saw Jude turning to leave, thinking that would be the end of it. He almost relaxed his body until Jude stopped, eyes flitting to Natsu once again. "Congratulations," he said, letting that be his parting word as he left, heading down the hall towards Layla and Lucy.

Natsu blinked, wondering what Jude meant by that. Was it genuine, or was it some sort of snarky remark for having dinner with his family? Natsu had no clue, and instead of asking, he stayed quiet.

"Ready to go?" Lucy asked, entering the living room a moment later.

Distracted with his thoughts, Natsu nodded, following her out the door and towards her car, still wondering why Jude congratulated him. He would have asked Lucy about it, but his stomach was in knots from the ride. He had forgotten to get more medication for his motion sickness, and instead of troubling Lucy to stop somewhere for him to get it, he dealt with the consequences of not taking anything.

"Thanks again for coming tonight," Lucy said when she pulled into the barracks parking lot, parking in one of the spots towards the back since the lot was full.

Natsu nodded weakly, opening the door to pour out of the car. He took ragged breaths before wiping his forehead, wishing he didn't have such a weird reaction to riding in vehicles. He didn't bother feeling embarrassed in front of Lucy. They had been together long enough for her to get used to it, and Natsu knew she wouldn't make fun of him for something he couldn't control.

Lucy made her way around her car, helping Natsu to his feet before closing the door. He leaned on her as they made their way towards the barracks, Natsu regaining his bearings with every step. By the time they made it to his room, he was better, smiling as he thanked Lucy for helping him.

"I don't mind," she said, lacing her fingers with his before leaning in for a goodnight kiss.

Natsu melted against her lips as he squeezed her hand. His heart soared as he breathed her in, considering himself a lucky bastard for having Lucy in his life. Everything seemed to be falling into place. The only thing missing was his family and his possible promotion.

Natsu chased her lips when she pulled away, happy when she gave him another slow kiss. She was addicting, every touch and kiss like its own high. He let her pull back the second time, his smile lazy as he gazed down at her.

He admired the blush on her cheeks, his heart hammering as he reached up, pushing her bangs out of her eyes. She was stunning, and he would give anything to keep her in his life.

"I love you," he whispered, hand falling to her shoulder. He just wanted to feel her, loving how comfortable they had grown with each other.

She took a step forward to close the gap between them, light dancing in her eyes as she smiled. "I love you too, Natsu."

His heart beamed, flooding with warmth as he embraced her, giving her a hug before she had to leave. After saying their goodbyes, he watched as she walked back to her car, wanting to make sure she got there safely before going into his room.

He wasn't surprised to see Gray playing video games despite the late hour. The man loved to relax, usually spending his free time chilling in their room if he didn't have plans with other people.

"Hey," Gray said, never taking his eyes off his screen as Natsu stepped in, locking the door behind him. "Did ya check MOL?"

Natsu cocked his head, remembering he didn't get the chance to check while he was at Lucy's. "No, not yet."

"You should."

Natsu swallowed, trying not to get his hopes up as he nodded. He took his shoes off before sliding onto his bed, getting comfortable as he went to the MOL website. His fingers shook a little as his anticipation built, wondering if Gray knew something he didn't.

After typing in his username and password, he was directed to the main page. He clicked 'Personal Info' before being redirected to a screen with more links. He found the one saying 'Rank/MOS' before clicking it, waiting for the next part to load.

He sorted the list of names by composition scores, the highest one being at the top. Natsu's name was within the first fifteen, so he found himself easily. His eyes flitted down the row of information, seeing his unit's name, his MOS code, and his composition score. He skipped to the last section, breath hitching when he saw 'E4' under 'Select Grade'.

"I got selected?" Natsu said, eyes glued to his screen, scared it would change if he looked away.

"You got selected," Gray confirmed, chuckling at Natsu's shocked expression. "Might wanna close your trap before you let flies in."

Natsu closed his mouth, not realizing his jaw had dropped. He had been so worried he wouldn't get promoted, but he held the proof in his hands. Part of him didn't believe it. Come the first of November, he would get promoted.

"I'm gonna be a Corporal," he whispered, a large, toothy grin spreading over his face as that set in. "I'm gonna be an NCO."

"It's not as great as it sounds," Gray said, but Natsu didn't listen, too excited by the news.

He took a screenshot of the page before switching to his contacts, scrolling until he found his dad's phone number. He didn't think twice as he clicked the call button, holding the phone to his ear as his heart raced.

After two rings, the line connected, his father's sleepy voice following a second later.  _"Natsu?"_

"I'm getting promoted!" he yelled, not bothering to keep his voice down. He was too happy, his chest swelling with pride as he sat up. A rush of energy hit him, making him not want to sit still. "I got selected!"

 _"That's great, son!"_  Igneel said, no longer sounding as tired.  _"When's that gonna happen?"_

"Should be November first. It's a Thursday. Think you could make it?"

"You're inviting your parents?" Gray asked, shaking his head as he laughed. "Such a boot."

Natsu flipped Gray off while listening to his dad, knowing his friend was just teasing him. Natsu was in too good of a mood to be brought down that easily, and his excitement only grew when his dad said,  _"Of course! We'll be there!"_

Natsu stood, heading outside to get some fresh air. He nodded along to what his father was saying, not minding when the phone was passed so he could tell his mom and sister the good news. He spent the next twenty minutes walking around the barracks building, catching his family up while also making plans for them to visit next week for his promotion.

"I'll have to give you more details when I get 'em," Natsu said, wrapping up the conversation. It was late, and he knew his parents needed their rest, especially since they were in a different time zone.

 _"Congratulations again!"_  Grandeeney said, causing Natsu's cheek to twitch when he recalled Jude congratulated him earlier that night.

_'Was it about my promotion?'_

He didn't have long to think about it, hearing his family wishing him a good night. "Love you guys. I'll call you tomorrow," he said, his giddy smile staying on his face even after they hung up the phone.

Natsu took a deep breath as he pulled the phone away from his head, letting everything process. He was going to get promoted soon. He knew it wasn't a big deal to some people, but it meant a lot to him. He had wanted to be a Marine for most of his life, and now he was living his dream. Sure, some parts were more rocky than others, but he was sticking with it, adapting and overcoming whatever was put in his way.

 _'I gotta call Lucy,'_  he thought, dialing her number before heading back towards his room. He listened to the rings, hoping she was already home. He didn't want her to pick up if she was still driving. He loved her, but she could get a little distracted when behind the wheel.

After the fifth ring, she picked up, the smile heard in her voice as she said,  _"Did you find out yet?"_

Natsu stopped in his tracks, wondering if she was talking about the same thing he was going to tell her. "About... what?" he asked, voice hesitant.

_"Oh, I don't want to spoil anything. I thought you would've checked MOL by now."_

"I did..."

 _"Oh? Why don't you sound more excited?"_  Lucy asked, her sweet laugh following.

He closed his eyes, letting the sound wash over him as he brushed away the uneasiness he felt. He wondered how she knew, but he suspected her father told her. She couldn't access MOL, which limited how she would have found out. Gray could have told Juvia who told Lucy, but Natsu was leaning towards the Lieutenant Colonel as the culprit.

"I am," he said, clearing his throat. "Just... surprised. How'd you know?"

Natsu's guess ended up being correct, Lucy answering immediately.  _"My father told me a few minutes ago. I wanted to call and tell you, but I figured it'd be better if you found out yourself?"_  She sounded unsure of herself, earning a chuckle from her boyfriend.

"You're fine. I didn't care how I found out. I just wanted to know if it was gonna happen or not." He found himself smiling again, his spirit coming back as he pushed aside the fact that Jude even mentioned it to Lucy. He probably said something snide along with it, but that wasn't Natsu's concern.

What other people said about him behind his back was none of his business. At least, that was the advice given to him throughout his life when dealing with rude people.

"I'm really glad it's happening," he confessed, letting himself be happy. Natsu had earned it, and now it was time to get rewarded for his efforts.

 _"I'm so proud of you,"_  Lucy said, making his heart beat that much faster.  _"You deserve it."_

He relished in her praise, a fire burning in his chest as he started walking again. "Will you come?" he asked, not needing to explain for her to understand.

_"Absolutely! I wouldn't miss it!"_

Natsu bit his bottom lip, trying to hold back the sound of approval his throat and chest wanted to make. "That... that makes me really happy."

 _"Awww,"_  Lucy cooed. He could imagine her features softening in his head, making him wish she was there so he could celebrate with her in person. For now, he would have to deal with the distance. It wasn't so bad, considering they spent a lot more time together over the past five months, starting after he got off guard.

"I love you, Lucy," Natsu said, feeling it with every fiber of his being. Lucy was such a supportive and kind soul. If he had things his way, he would never let her go. "Thanks for sticking with me."

 _"You make it sound like a chore. Trust me,"_  she started, making his confidence boost and his heart throb.  _"I don't regret even a second of it. I love you too."_

Natsu sighed, everything around him feeling right once again. "Oh! I almost forgot! You're gonna get to meet my parents next week! That'll be fun!"

There was a long pause, causing Natsu to furrow his brows. "Lucy?"

 _"Y-yeah?"_  she asked, her strained tone alarming him.

"You okay?"

 _"Yes... Just... I usually don't meet the parents of the people I date..."_  She hesitated, as if waiting for him to interrupt her. When he didn't, she meekly added,  _"Actually, I've never met any."_

Natsu blinked, wondering how that was even possible. Lucy was an amazing woman. Who wouldn't want to introduce her to their parents? The only reason Natsu had waited so long was because his parents lived in another state. It was hard to get them all together with work and his sister's school going on.

"How?" he asked, flinching when he realized that might have come across as rude.

Lucy didn't seem to take it that way. Instead, she still sounded worried about herself.  _"I haven't dated anyone long-term. We move a lot, and my father, well, you've seen him. Usually guys run away after meeting him. I've never had someone who was this determined to stay with me."_

Natsu barked out a laugh, shaking his head. "Well, those guys missed out. I think you're plenty worth it." He hoped she took that as a compliment instead of an insult towards her father.

She chuckled, sounding a little less nervous.  _"Do you think they'll even like me?"_

"Are you kidding?! There's gonna love ya!"

Natsu had no doubts in his mind. His family was going to love the woman he was with, because she made him happy.

And that was what mattered to them.

_"I hope so."_

Natsu wished she wouldn't doubt herself, but he understood being nervous. "Don't worry, Lucy. You're gonna do great." He smiled, closing his eyes as he felt it in his heart. When he opened his eyes, he whispered, "I just know it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I posted this chapter, my ex-husband was on terminal leave, I quit my job, and our house was empty since the movers came and took away everything but a few boxes and our bed, haha. A few days after I posted this chapter, we left our house and moved back to our hometown.
> 
> We were both glad to be going home. My ex-husband was ready to move on from the Marine Corps. I think working at the ASP for the past two years of his time in really wore down on him.
> 
> Thank you for reading! I'm not sure if this is considered a filler chapter or not? It's more to lead into the next chapter, which will deal with Natsu's promotion. :) Anyone like Layla in this story? I think if she was alive in the manga, she would like Natsu. What's not to like about that adorkable dragon slayer? :P Let me know your thoughts on this chapter!
> 
> Thank you for every kudo, hit, and comment! I appreciate all the support!
> 
> Up next, Chapter Seven: Corporal Dragneel
> 
> Any predictions for the next chapter? How do you think Natsu's parents will react to meeting Lucy? Do you think Jude is done messing with Natsu? Why or why not? Thank you for reading again! Don't forget to leave a review! :)
> 
> Terms used this chapter:
> 
> Composite score- This is the score Marines get that reflect them. It gets updated every three months, and it determines if you get picked up or not. There's other things involved with picking up as well, but as long as you have everything good and you haven't gotten in trouble, your composite score is what determines if you get promoted.
> 
> Cutting score- This is a score that differs between MOS's and ranks. The cutting score for a Corporal who's an ammo tech will be different from the cutting score of a Sergeant who's in motor T. There's a lot of stuff that goes into making the cutting score like what the military needs/how many they can promote/etc, so the number changes from month to month, and sometimes they skip a month and no one gets promoted for certain MOS/ranks.
> 
> MOL- (Marine Online/Marine On-Line) It has a double meaning. Online is for the internet, and On-Line means in formation. MOL is a website where military personnel can log on and check their records. It's where Natsu can see if he's selected to pick up or not. It's also where they request leave, can change their emergency contacts, etc. They can do a lot from MOL. They can sign in with their Military ID, or using their username and password.
> 
> E4- The rank of Corporal. Lance Corporal is E3, and Sergeant is E5. The higher the number, the higher the rank.
> 
> Next chapter is the last one. I wanted to write more, but I just couldn't force myself to.


	7. Corporal Dragneel

**Chapter Seven: Corporal Dragneel**

A smile worked its way onto Lucy's face as she opened her gallery app, looking over the pictures she took that morning. Her thumb swiped through the photos, remembering how happy and proud she had been at Natsu's promotion ceremony.

Her favorite picture had to be the one right before he got promoted. His posture was pristine, but his eyes shined with a mirth that couldn't be contained. That look he wore showed how proud he was of himself, and he deserved every bit of it.

A soft chuckle escaped her as she looked at the photo of Natsu's father, Igneel, pinning one of his Corporal ranks on. The two looked nothing alike, but that made sense given Natsu was adopted. Igneel had dark red hair, almost as crimson as Erza's had been. He stood a good foot taller than Natsu, and despite the Marine having a muscular body, Igneel's build was bigger, the man towering over everyone he stood near.

However different their appearances were, Lucy could tell they were father and son, even if not by blood. From the brief conversation she had with Igneel, she could tell where Natsu got a good chunk of his personality. Both men were warm and kind, with just enough humor to be charming. She didn't know how Natsu's biological father would compare, but she was glad it was Igneel and Grandeeney who adopted him instead of someone else.

They did an amazing job raising a respectable man, one who Lucy was proud to call her boyfriend and best friend.

Well, best _guy_ friend. Juvia currently held the title of her best friend in general, but she didn't feel like getting technical now.

Lucy leaned back in her seat, glancing at the time in the corner of her screen before sighing. Her beak was almost over, meaning she would need to return to work soon. She was able to come in late so she could see Natsu's promotion, but she had to make up the time by staying later tonight.

_'At least I get to see Natsu again soon.'_

She had been invited to dinner with Natsu and his family, but first she had to make it through her shift and the few hours in between. 'I wonder if I should wear the same dress I wore this morning? Or maybe something more casual?'

After a moment, Lucy decided on jeans and a blouse, knowing it was supposed to get cold later that night. She wanted to make a great second impression on Natsu's family, and she figured that would be hard if she kept shivering the whole time.

Despite Lucy putting away her phone when her break was over, she couldn't help but recall Natsu's promotion. He had looked sharp in his cammies, putting more effort into his appearance than usual. He had gotten his hair cut the day before, even though he didn't normally get his hair cut until the weekend.

As she stocked cell phone accessories, Lucy skipped through the boring parts of the ceremony, wanting to think of just Natsu's part. A few other Marines had gotten promoted, but Lucy hadn't been interested in them.

He had gotten his father to pin one of his ranks on while his First Sergeant did the other. The man looked absolutely ecstatic as he became a Corporal.

Lucy remembered teasing Natsu before about the blood stripe, but she knew there was nothing to worry about. A past ritual for Marines reaching that rank consisted of them getting kneed in the thighs by their fellow Marines. The idea was to leave a bruise up and down their legs, creating a literal 'blood stripe'.

If someone were to do that now and got caught, they could be charged for hazing, most likely resulting in them losing rank and pay, if not worse. The Marine Corps was trying to get better about catching people hazing others, but their system wasn't perfect.

However, Lucy doubted anything like that would happen with Natsu. She hadn't heard of anyone doing that cruel, unofficial tradition in a long time.

Lucy dismissed those thoughts, instead thinking about when Natsu was given his two red stripes of fabric. He would need to bring them and his dress uniform trousers to the tailor, that way they could get the red strips sewn on, hopefully before the Marine Corps ball.

She smiled, thinking about the dress she was going to wear this year. Her father hadn't bothered to say a negative word about Natsu in a long time, even when he over hear her telling her mother she was going with Natsu again this year. Jude hadn't accepted Natsu, but he was tolerating him, and that was a step in the right direction.

Honestly though, Lucy doubted Jude would ever approve of any partner she chose. He just didn't want to see his daughter grow up, but she knew he would get over himself eventually. He just needed time.

"Excuse me miss?"

Lucy glanced up, seeing a woman in uniform holding up a copy of a video game. "Yes?"

"Do you have this for the Xbox One? I only see it for PS4."

Smiling, Lucy told the lady to stay there while she went to look in the back. Her focus on work kept her from thinking about Natsu as much, but he still lingered in her mind. She couldn't wait to see him later and congratulate him again. She also couldn't wait to see Natsu's family, but this time under less formal circumstances.

From what she could tell, they were nice people, and she hoped they liked her, especially Natsu's mom and younger sister. For some reason, Lucy craved their approval above his father's, but that might be due to the comment she heard Igneel 'whisper' to Natsu right before his promotion ceremony.

_"She seems like a keeper."_

Lucy had to bite back her grin, not wanting to look weird as she continued her day at work.

* * *

"And then there was the time in eighth grade," Grandeeney started, ignoring her son's protests as she told the horrendous story about him setting his jeans on fire. In his defense, he was trying to perform a trick, trying to make it look like he could breathe fire. However, he accidentally spilled the flammable liquid he was using on his pants, but he was unaware of it until it was too late. "At least he got the fire out before he burned himself too badly."

Natsu shivered despite thinking about the heat on his thighs when it happened. He had singed all the hair off in that area, but he only suffered first degree burns, nothing serious.

"Good thing he always kept a bucket of water with him when he was playing with fire," Igneel said, wiping away a stray tear in his eye as he resisted a chuckle.

Lucy didn't bother hiding her laughter, her eyes watering as she struggled to breathe. Natsu had lost count at this point, unsure how many embarrassing stories his family told her. If he didn't know better, he would swear they were trying to get Lucy to break up with him, showing how ridiculous he was in his youth.

At first he thought it was just going to be his parents, but after a few stories, his little sister Wendy jumped in, sharing some of her own.

By the time their food arrived, Natsu's face was as red as the sauce in his spaghetti. No matter how hard he tried steering the conversation, his family found a way to bring up something else dumb he did.

Unfortunately for him, there were a lot to choose from.

He couldn't help it. As a kid he loved exploring and going on adventures, but through that, he also ran into some trouble. Most of it was his fault, but some were just wrong place, wrong time situations, but Lucy didn't seem to see a difference, laughing at each story as they went on.

Natsu sighed before deciding to eat his food, realizing it didn't matter how hard he tried, they weren't going to stop. He was happy his family kept the worst stories to themselves, at least for now. He hadn't done anything too bad, but everyone had embarrassing things they did as kids that they wanted to keep from their significant other, and Natsu was no exception.

Natsu's eyes flashed over to Lucy when he felt something on his leg, realizing she had reached over and settled her hand there. He looked over her features, but her eyes were flitting between his family members, acting as if she wasn't touching Natsu beneath the table. Her hand didn't move, only giving his leg soft squeezes. He smothered his smile, happy she was still willing to show him affection despite his messy childhood.

Speaking of messy, his dad then told a story about how he refused to clean his room for a month, resulting in a mild case of mold growing on the plates he left on his desk. Natsu groaned, dropping his head in defeat. As much as he loved his family, he hoped dinner would end soon, that way they couldn't tell Lucy more dreadful stories of his past.

After one more story, his family finally gave it a rest, deciding instead to get to know Lucy since they had already said enough about Natsu. She kept her answers simple, telling them she was in college now, but she was looking forward to graduating and starting her career.

Natsu didn't know it, but Lucy was glad they didn't bring up her father's status during dinner. She knew Natsu had told them about Jude, but they didn't breathe a word of it. Too many times she had to talk about her dad because people didn't bother to get to know her as a person, deciding to stick to 'safe' topics. She loved her dad, but his career wasn't the biggest thing going on in her life, and she preferred not talking about it if she could help it.

That was part of the reason why she didn't mention it to Natsu in the beginning, but she was also worried he would distance himself from her if he knew. In hindsight, she realized she should have given him a heads up, but she couldn't do anything to change the past. She could only try making better decisions in her future.

"I'm really glad we finally got to meet you," Grandeeney said, her smile just as warm as her son's. "Though, if I'm being honest, I feel like we already know you from how much Natsu talks about you."

Lucy blushed, her eyes flashing to Natsu's before they settled on his mom again. "I didn't know he talked about me," she said, trying to keep the embarrassment out of her voice. She wondered what all he said, hoping it was only good things.

While Lucy and Natsu suited each other well, they were still a normal couple. They had their little tiffs with each other, but it wasn't anything they couldn't handle and work through.

"All the time," Igneel added, snickering at his son. "He sounds like a lovesick puppy when he talks about ya."

"Dad," Natsu warned, but there was no bite in his tone. "Could you not?"

"I could," Igneel started, merely grinning, his voice trailing off. Lucy didn't know if he was going to say anything else, but after a few beats of silence, it was safe to assume he was finished teasing Natsu.

Dinner carried on, the waitress coming by after a while to give them their checks. Natsu offered to pay for everyone, and after a short debate between him and his dad, it was decided that Natsu could pay as long as Igneel could take care of the tip.

When the checks were settled, everyone stood, but they had no intentions on leaving. The restaurant they chose to eat at was a sports bar, complete with a game room off to the side where patrons could play. Natsu had asked before they got there if they wanted to play a few rounds of pool, and the Dragneels had happily agreed.

The first game consisted of boys vs. girls, but after Lucy's team won, they broke into smaller groups to visit the arcade games. Wendy took a particular interest in one where she had to fly her character around obstacle courses while Natsu and Igneel favored the shooting games.

Lucy had some fun playing the claw game, but the only thing she won was a smile when Natsu joined her, hugging her from behind before holding her close.

He muttered an, "I love you," before separating, heading over to watch his mom as she struggled to play Pac-Man.

While Lucy didn't have any deep conversations with Natsu's family, she thought their time together went well, especially when Grandeeney gave her a hug before they all parted ways.

Natsu's family took off to their hotel for the night while Natsu and Lucy went to her car. She figured it would be easier for her to take Natsu to the barracks since she knew how to get there on her own, whereas his family would need directions the entire way. Not to mention, they could get lost trying to get back to their hotel. Sometimes addresses on base didn't work well with GPS.

The drive through base didn't take long, Lucy and Natsu humming or singing to the songs coming from the radio. Lucy couldn't wipe the smile off her face, happy Natsu's family seemed to like her, and Natsu didn't bother hiding his excitement, finding everything in his life going his way for once.

He got promoted that morning, he got to spend time with his family, and now he was hanging out with the woman he gave his heart to. Nothing could bring him down.

Instead of Lucy dropping Natsu off in the parking lot, she parked her car and walked up to his room with him. Despite spending a good amount of the day with him, she couldn't get enough, Natsu making everything feel better just by being himself. Plus, Natsu didn't mind, even letting her wear his jacket since the air had grown colder. He held her hand as they walked, both basking in their comfortable silence until they reached his room.

Natsu furrowed his brows when he opened the door, finding the lights were off. He called out Gray's name, but he received no reply. "Guess he's not here," he mumbled, pulling out his phone to send Gray a quick text.

**Where you at?**

Natsu turned back, finding Lucy waiting at the threshold. He beckoned her closer, wanting a few more minutes with her before they had to part ways. She hurried inside, bringing her hands up to cup her arms, pulling Natsu's jacket closer to her body. He had to resist the urge to growl. Lucy wearing his clothes was one of the sexiest things he had ever seen.

Before Natsu's thoughts could turn too lewd, he felt his phone vibrating in his hand. He glanced at it before smiling, deciding to read Gray's text aloud. "Over at Juvia's. Gonna be back late. Don't wait up."

Natsu hadn't put his phone away before Lucy was closing the door, her fingers lingering on the knob after she locked it. Her eyes found his, her voice soft but firm as she asked, "What do you want to do now that we're alone?"

"I can think of a few things," Natsu whispered, crossing the room in an instant to get her in his arms.

* * *

" _Fuck!_ " Lucy threw her head back as Natsu rammed his hips against hers, his cock stretching and rubbing her inner walls with every rough thrust. She could barely catch her breath, sweat beading down her forehead and neck as her nails raked against his firm chest. That only seemed to drive him further into madness, his moans turning into growls as he increased his speed.

"I love that face you're making," Natsu taunted, leaning in to drag his tongue against her collarbone before pulling back, a salacious grin resting on his lips.

Lucy gasped, her eyes flying open as she gazed at her boyfriend. He had her caged against the bed, his strong arms on either side of her as he fucked into her. Though, caged was the wrong word to use. She didn't feel like a prisoner in his arms. It was the opposite in fact. She felt free when she was with Natsu, like she could truly be herself and not worry about him judging her. It was refreshing, addicting, and above all, breathtaking.

"I love you," she moaned, arms wrapping around to his back before pulling him closer. He went willingly, groaning as her lips found his in a heated kiss. Their tongues and lips moved against each other's as their frantic pace slowed just a bit, allowing them to enjoy the kiss without letting it get too clumsy.

When Natsu pulled away from her swollen lips, he moaned, his hungry eyes set on her and only her. "I love you too," he whispered, voice thick with lust and desire. He sealed his lips against hers a second later, needing to taste her, to be connected to her in every way.

Lucy arched into his touches, her core tightening around him with every flick of his tongue and growl he emitted. She absolutely loved when he let himself go in bed, his actions and sounds animalistic with just enough intimacy to set her heart on fire.

They had grown a lot closer since they started dating, and every time they were together, Lucy swore it was better than the last. The trust she held for him made the sex incredible, knowing she was in good hands.

" _God!_ " Natsu pulled out of her unexpectedly, leaving Lucy gasping for air as she struggled to figure out what he was doing. She half expected to feel a gush of liquid on her stomach and chest, having experienced Natsu cumming on her body a few times before, but instead of finishing, Natsu grabbed her wrist to pull her up too.

"What are—" Lucy's voice cut out when her thighs started spreading over his, Natsu bringing her into his lap. He wrapped an arm around her waist, securing her to him as he lowered himself on the bed, letting Lucy straddle him.

She got the picture, hand falling between their bodies to grab his throbbing cock. As much as she wanted him inside her again, to fill that emptiness within, she couldn't help but take advantage of the moment. Natsu wasn't the only one who enjoyed teasing in their relationship.

Lucy smirked to herself as she rubbed the head of his length against her slit, pulling back every time Natsu tried to buck himself into her. It wasn't long until he figured out what she was doing, but instead of putting an end to it, he set his hands on her hips, squeezing her as he gave her what she wanted.

" _Please_ ," he moaned, biting his lower lip when she circled her clit with his tip. His cock begged to be inside her, but he didn't give in, liking the look of power crossing Lucy's face as she dragged her lower lips against his flushed member.

"You want to fuck me?" she taunted, her hooded eyes making her that much more alluring.

Natsu nodded, nails biting into her skin to earn a sharp gasp before he let up, an apology whispered between them before he ran his hands up and down her sides. "You have no idea how much I wanna be inside you!"

He clenched his teeth when she didn't give him what he wanted, instead dragging it out by dipping an inch of himself into her wet heat before pulling it right back out. She was such a tease, but he loved every second of it.

" _Luuuushi!_ " he begged, seeing a blush spreading over her skin, traveling down her neck to cover her chest and the top of her breasts. She was gorgeous, and she was all his.

A wicked smile spread over Lucy's lips as she grasped his cock harder, earning a grunt from Natsu. It didn't hurt, merely surprising him. He grabbed her sides just as tight, waiting for her to make the next move, only to realize he wasn't at all prepared for it.

"As you wish,  _Corporal_."

"Oh  _fuck!_ "

Natsu's eyes squeezed shut as she slid him into her dripping core, his mind and body overloading with pleasure as she did exactly what he wanted her to do. She rode him, all while making a fantasy he didn't know he had come true.

"Say it again!" he groaned, pulling her down to make the thrusts that much deeper. " _Please!_ "

Lucy moaned, her voice a mix between amused and aroused as she whispered, "Say what,  _Corporal?_ "

While it didn't turn Lucy on much using his rank in bed, she could see how much Natsu enjoyed it. She leaned into it, purposely squeezing his cock as she moved up and down, moaning that title whenever it seemed fit.

Natsu was panting by the time Lucy started rolling her hips against his. He was in heaven, loving the way Lucy bounced on his cock while moaning his new rank. He had worked hard to get it, and hearing it come from her sweet lips made his blood hotter and his cock harder.

" _Ooooooh!_ " Lucy fell forward, her fingers digging into the sheets beside Natsu's head as he started taking over, thrusting upwards into her fast and hard, stealing her breath away with every snap of his hips. She crumbled before him, her voice raspy as she moaned, "Corporal  _Dragneel!_ "

" _Fuck!_ " Natsu growled, pressing his lips against her ear. "I fucking love the way you say it!"

Another rough thrust had Lucy seeing stars, her body shaking as she inevitably tipped over the edge, her breath catching as she whimpered, " _Natsuu!_ "

"God damn!"

Natsu pulled her into a fierce kiss, swallowing every throaty moan that tumbled past her lips. He held an arm around her lower back, encouraging her to writhe against his cock as she came. He tore his lips away from hers long enough to growl, "I love that more!" before kissing her again, relishing in the feeling of her pressed tightly against him.

He was proud of himself for becoming a Corporal, but there was something about Lucy moaning his name that drove him insane. Nothing could beat it, his body burning as she moaned his name again and again as he rocked into her.

" _Natssuuuu!_  Natsu!  _Fuuuck!_ "

"I could listen to you all fucking day," Natsu groaned, wishing that were the case but knowing it wasn't possible. Even then, he could feel himself wanting to give in to the pleasure, his lower stomach on fire as he tried to hold out. He managed to give her another five hard thrusts before he was teetering himself, needing one more sultry moan from his goddess before he was ready to snap.

" _NATSUUU!_ "

" _NGH!_ "

Natsu threw his head back as he found his release, his body pulsing with pleasure as he emptied himself inside Lucy's hot core. He didn't think it was possible for her to get any more slippery, but he was proven wrong, his cum making her sopping wet, their combined fluids leaking out around his cock to smear against their inner thighs.

He loved the mess, his chest heaving as he struggled to catch his breath. Their time alone together was usually a chaotic mix of raw passion and love. He wouldn't trade it for anything, treasuring every moment he got to spend with Lucy.

He didn't care if they had been together for a year or a century, she had his heart, and there was no one who could stop him from loving her with everything he had.

"Fuck," Natsu mumbled, arms wrapping around Lucy as she melted against him, putting her weight on him. It was comforting, a smile tugging as his lips as he breathed her in, feeling her press her lips against his bare shoulder. "I love you. That was ama—"

Natsu's voice cut out when he heard the door unlocking. Lucy's eyes went wide as she pulled away, the two having a second to look at each other before they panicked, both scrambling to find and pull the blankets over their naked bodies before Gray could enter the barracks room.

"I'm back," Gray started, not looking around before closing the door. "You still up?"

He turned his head, eyes falling to see the scene beside him. Natsu's eyes were wide while Lucy's head was tucked into his chest, a poor attempt to hide herself from Gray. He blinked, jaw dropping when he comprehended what had been going on moments before his arrival.

"Were you two...?" Gray shook his head, throwing a hand over his eyes before blurting out, "I don't wanna know!" He promptly turned around, swinging the door open wide to make his escape. "You have five minutes to get decent, otherwise I'm kicking your ass Dragneel."

With that, Gray left, leaving Lucy and Natsu a flustered mess beneath his sheets.

They hesitated, their eyes finding each others before Natsu whispered, "It's not as good when he says it."

Lucy snorted before shaking her head, taking the blankets with her as she sat up. They both untangled from the other before searching for the clothes, knowing they would need them before heading to the bathroom to wash off.

Out of all the times they had sex, that had to be the most awkward afterwards, but they held their heads high regardless.

Once Lucy put on her last shoe, the two shared a look before Natsu cracked a smile. "Well, that wasn't weird or anything."

Lucy shook her head, chuckling as she straightened her blouse. "I kind of feel bad. We might've scarred him."

"He'll be fine," Natsu said, waving a hand towards the door. He grinned, walking over to his girlfriend before wrapping his arms around her shoulders, pulling her in for a tight hug. "At least he didn't come earlier. Pretty sure he would've kicked my ass for sure."

Lucy snorted, already imagining it. "Yeah. Guess we're lucky."

"I wouldn't go that far. We're just not unlucky."

Cocking a brow, Lucy pulled back to ask, "So, we're somewhere between lucky and unlucky? What would that be?'

Natsu shrugged, not bothering to come up with an answer. "Should we go tell him we're good? Feels like it's been over five minutes."

"He probably doesn't want to risk seeing us naked. I don't blame him."

Natsu tilted his head before looking down at their bodies. "What? I think we look great!"

"That's not what I mean," Lucy started, swatting at his chest before pulling back. "I mean I wouldn't want to see Gray or Juvia naked, even though I'm pretty sure they don't look bad either."

"Careful Lucy," Natsu teased, already knowing he was going to make that blush on his girlfriend's face darker. "Keep talking like that and I might think you wanna have an orgy with them or somethin'."

Just as he guessed, Lucy's flush burned hotter as she stammered out a response, though her denying it only made him egg her on more. Of course, the two knew he was joking, but it was still too much fun to mess with her. To be fair, she did her own teasing from time to time, but it was mainly him who enjoyed it, even if it often got him scolded.

"You're something else, Natsu," Lucy finally settled with after a long sigh. "I think you might be the death of me."

" _Awww_ ," Natsu whined, giving her a pout as he tried to grab her again, only to smile when she let him hold her. "But I wanted to spend a lotta more years with you. You can't die."

"A lotta, huh?" Lucy's frame shook as she held back her laughter. "And how much is a lotta to you?"

Natsu shrugged, not hesitating before saying, "I dunno. Like at least sixty, maybe seventy years. How long do humans normally live again?"

Lucy's body froze as her eyes grew wide, hoping she wasn't reading into things. "C-careful," she started, a hint of anxiety lacing her words. "You shouldn't say things you don't mean."

Natsu's breath caught when he realized the implications of his words. He gulped, hoping he wasn't overstepping as he rubbed a hand against her back, coaxing her to relax in his embrace. "Who said I don't mean them?"

Natsu could feel his nervous energy rushing through him. His palms and underarms grew damp with sweat as he failed to control his heartbeat. He couldn't keep his eyes off Lucy's, even though his mind begged for him to look away. He knew it was rushing things by making such promises, but he couldn't help it.

He loved her, and he wanted to spend his life with her if she would let him. He just hadn't had the courage to tell her that yet, and knowing him, he was surprised he hadn't said something earlier on accident.

Lucy's lips parted, but she didn't respond. She stared into Natsu's eyes, entranced for a moment as her mind raced. Just as she tried forming some words, any words, the two jolted from the sound of a knock at the door.

"You two decent yet?!"

The aggravation in Gray's voice was palpable, both Natsu and Lucy looking embarrassed as they separated from each other. Natsu called out to Gray, letting him know it was safe to come in as Lucy grabbed her purse.

Despite saying he was in the clear, Gray hesitated before opening the door, a scowl present on his face as he examined the room. "Can't believe you two," he muttered, no real bite laced in his tone. "Like two horny teenagers, huh?"

Instead of responding to the insult, Natsu wrapped his hand around Lucy's wrist, gently pulling her towards the door. "Be right back."

"Take your time," Gray said, shooing the two off with a hand. It was hard to see, considering he was frowning, but Natsu caught the slightly glimpse of a smile in Gray's eyes. He knew he'd be in for a world of teasing when he got back, but it would be worth it.

Lucy was always worth it.

The walk to Lucy's car was silent, but the awkwardness died down shortly after Natsu slipped his hand into hers, interlocking their fingers. He loved how she seemed to fit perfectly with him, like they were made for each other. He didn't believe in soulmates or anything like that, but if he did, he would say Lucy fit the bill.

"Thanks for inviting me out," Lucy said as she spotted her car, knowing her time with Natsu was limited. She wished she could spend more time with Natsu, even going as far as imagining how it would be if they lived together, but she had to put an end to those thoughts soon after they formed. It was too easy to lean into the normal military lifestyle, but she didn't want that yet, knowing they needed more time together first.

Many military couples rushed things. Lucy had seen countless Marines get married within the first year of dating and move in together to start their lives. While Lucy would like to spend more time with Natsu, she couldn't see herself getting hitched just for the sake of living together. She wanted to take her time, and thankfully Natsu seemed to want the same.

She wasn't ready for any big commitments, but that didn't mean she wasn't open to them in the future.

"I'm glad you came out," Natsu whispered, his thumb stroking against her hand, creating a small fire in her stomach. His touches brought her comfort and security. She liked being with him. He made her happy.

Natsu smiled, coincidentally thinking about how happy Lucy made him as well. "I think it's safe to say my family likes ya." He wished he could say the same about Lucy's family, but at least he had half of them liking him.

"I hope so." Lucy took a step closer to Natsu, her eyes widening when he let go of her hand to wrap his arm around her shoulders, tucking her under his arm. The warm that consumed her almost made her hum, but she kept quiet.

"I know they did. What's not to love?"

Lucy bit her inner cheek, smothering the smile that wanted to break out. Her excitement still found a way to show, her cheeks warming as a soft blush spread over her face.  _'At least it's too dark to notice,'_  she thought.

They arrived at her car much too soon for either of them, but the night had to end somewhere. Besides, the two were tired, and they would see each other again tomorrow anyway. Natsu invited her to hang out with his family again, and she couldn't deny that offer.

"What time should I pick you up?" Lucy asked, slowly digging through her purse to find her keys.

"Maybe noon?" Natsu said, shrugging.

She snorted, knowing he liked to sleep in whenever given the chance. "Okay, any idea what you want to do?"

"It's been a while since we've been mini golfing. I know Wendy loves to play, so that should be fun."

Lucy nodded, liking his idea. "Sounds great." She pulled out her keys, resisting the urge to sigh. Once again, she found herself not wanting to leave. The closer they became, the more often she wanted him in her life. While she wasn't ready for the big leaps yet, she could see herself taking baby steps.

Her goal was to get her own apartment in the next few months, and the more she thought about it, the more she liked the idea of asking Natsu to halfway move in with her. He could spend his weeknights in the barracks and the weekends with her, giving them all the privacy they would need.

Of course, Lucy was conflicted. The point of her getting the apartment was for independence, but she didn't know if having Natsu around would hinder that. She wanted to be on her own, but she also wanted his good company. Torn, Lucy had yet to bring it up, but she knew she had time before she had to make any big decisions.

"I'll see ya tomorrow," Natsu started, leaning in to give her a soft kiss on the lips. She responded, eyes fluttering closed for a few seconds as she enjoyed his natural warmth and comfort.

Lucy gazed up at him, her heart beaming when he whispered, "I love you, so much."

She smiled, the same words spilling from her lips a second later. When she met Natsu, she didn't think anything would ever happen. She thought he was cute, but the more he came around after that, the more she started liking him. He was a good combination of fun and dorky, and she couldn't resist when he finally asked her out to the ball. She never regretted her decision, loving their journey together.

_'And the journey's just beginning.'_

"Hey, Natsu," Lucy started, stopping Natsu as he turned away. He faced her again, his eyes holding mild curiosity as he waited for her to say something.

Despite her confliction, there was one thing she was certain of, even if she still wanted to take her time getting there. "I..." Lucy paused, taking a deep breath to give herself strength. "I want to spend a lotta years with you too... If that's okay?"

Natsu's eyes widened for a fraction of a second before he swallowed thickly, caught off guard by her words. He hadn't been expecting them, still wondering if he went too far as to suggest the same thing earlier.

"Yeah?" he asked, voice cautious, worried she might take it back. They hadn't discussed big commitments before, but he had a feeling they were headed that way, sometime in the future.

Lucy nodded, her smile soft as she whispered, "Yes."

Natsu released his breath, his own smile appearing as he took a step closer to embrace her. He was worried he had jumped the gun, but it seemed Lucy wasn't freaked out by his implications. He wasn't the only one wanting them to last for a long time.

Natsu didn't know how long he hugged her for, or when she started hugging him back. All he knew was he felt complete at that moment, happy he had found someone as caring and loving as Lucy.

She complimented him in ways he didn't know he needed, and he hoped he was a good companion for her too. She had a good head on her shoulders, and if she chose to be with him, he figured that meant he was doing pretty good.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" Natsu asked despite them already establishing they would hang out.

Lucy nodded, slowly pulling away so she could look at him. "Yeah."

"Can't wait," he whispered, cupping her cheek before leaning in, giving her a kiss so soft he swore his lips ghosted over hers.

Unsatisfied, Lucy lifted herself up, pressing her lips fully to his before dropping back, happy when she saw the gleam in Natsu's eyes. She liked when he was gentle, but she also enjoyed how fierce he could be, and in that moment, she craved passion.

"Congratulations again," she said, letting those be her parting words as she unlocked her car, slipping into the driver's seat.

He waited until she was pulling away before turning to head back to his room, a shit-eating grin resting on his face. Today couldn't have been better, even if he planned it all. He got promoted, he got to see his family, and he got a better idea on how Lucy saw their relationship.

When Natsu went back to the room, he heard the water running, letting him know Gray was showering. He moved to his bed, pulling out his phone in the process. He knew it was premature, but Natsu couldn't stop himself from looking.

There was no harm in looking, right?

He went to Google, typing in two words to start his search.

_**Engagement rings** _

Natsu smiled, thinking everything in his life was falling into place.

* * *

**I've never actually been to a real Marine Corps promotion ceremony, so that part is kind of vague. I've never felt comfortable being around military events, so my anxiety about that usually kept me home for some of them. The only ceremony I went to aside from military balls was my soon-to-be ex-husband's reenlistment ceremony. I couldn't miss that one.**

**So, for those who don't know, I'm getting a divorce. I don't wish to continue this story. I'm not a huge fan of the Marine Corps and it just reminds me of my soon-to-be ex-husband too much since he was a Marine for over 7 years, which was the majority of our relationship. You can leave the story there, or you can read my summary for how the story was going to end. It's completely up to you. Either way, thank you so much for reading. I appreciated all the support and feedback. Sorry I can't continue this story. It just hurts too much and I don't want to force myself to be in pain just to give it a proper ending.**

_**In chapter eight,**_ Natsu was waking up, excited for his date with Lucy tonight. A few months had passed since the last chapter. Him and Gray were going on a double date with Lucy and Juvia to go see the musical 'Wicked'. (Which by the way, Wicked is awesome, and if you ever have the opportunity to watch it I suggest you do) The guys were going mainly for the girls, but they were hopeful they'd like it too. That morning, however, when they got to formation, they were informed that their unit was being deployed. Natsu was conflicted. While he had wanted to deploy and travel for so long (it was one of the reasons he joined) now he realizes he'll miss Lucy. He decides to tell Lucy after the date, that way it doesn't spoil the musical. They all meet up later, watch Wicked, enjoy it a lot. Then they go to the apartment building where Lucy and Juvia live. (At this point Lucy had moved out of her parents house and rented a small studio apartment in Juvia's building. Gray goes with Juvia and Natsu goes with Lucy. He tries to break the news to her, but when Lucy sees him struggling, she tells him she already knows. Her father told her and her mother earlier that day. Natsu asks how it's going to work, Lucy assures him it's not a huge deal. Back in the old days they could only communicate through letters and the occasional phone call, but she tells Natsu the last time her father was deployed he was able to text her mom and video call with her, so the technology makes the deployment more bearable. She says if he wants to keep seeing her, she'll wait for him to get back and support him throughout. He says he definitely wants to stay with her, so they do. Then the chapter ends with Gray calling Natsu to ask if Lucy can talk to Juvia, the girl is a crying mess after she found out Gray's deploying. They leave her apartment, ready to console their friend.

**In chapter nine,**  it basically covers their departing. Natsu's family is there, as well as Lucy's family. They're all saying goodbye, Natsu thinking he's going to ask Lucy to marry him when he gets back. Already bought the ring, just didn't want to spend the first part of their engagement apart.

**In chapter ten,**  Lucy goes to a bar with Juvia and Gajeel, they're all hanging out, then Juvia leaves and Gajeel gets a phone call, so he steps out for a moment. A guy approaches Lucy, asks her if he can buy her a drink, she says she's taken, sorry. Since it's a military town, the guy asks if she's with a Marine. She says yes, he asks are you the type that's willing to step out, for a night. She gets offended at him, but before she can tell him off, Gajeel shows up and intimidates the guy. He leaves, Gajeel and Lucy talk about it for a moment before leaving. When Lucy gets home, she sees Natsu can video call. They do, decide to have phone sex. After they get off, they talk for a few minutes before hanging up. It's late where Lucy's at but morning where Natsu is.

**In chapter eleven,** it covers the homecoming. The buses pull up, everyone excited to be reunited with their loved ones. The Marines have a huge party to celebrate, Lucy feels like Natsu is going to propose, just can't shake the feeling, but when he doesn't, she gets a little disappointed but she realizes it's okay. They enjoy the party, then afterwards go for a walk alone, end up in a park in the middle of the night. They sit on a bench, staring up at the stars. Natsu says he was waiting for the right time, and this feels like it. He gets down on one knee and asks her to marry him. She of course says yes, they hug tightly and Lucy starts crying from happiness. Natsu says he doesn't want to live without her in his life, and she says he doesn't have to.

**In chapter twelve,** it covers the wedding and honeymoon. Sweet vows and some smut, nothing too wild.

**That was where the story was going to end this time around. Originally I had like five more chapters where it covered another deployment, and accidental pregnancy, and Natsu deciding two enlistments was enough, he wants to get out and settle down with Lucy properly. I just couldn't force myself to write all of it, and that was before I found out about my divorce. So, sorry for any disappointment with the lack of a proper ending, but I just can't do it. Thank you to those who understand. I will be focusing on my other stories now. Thank you for reading. I hope you have a great day/night!**


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